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THE  UNIVERSITY  OF 

NORTH  CAROLINA 

LIBRARY 


THE  WILMER  COLLECTION 

OF  CIVIL  WAR  NOVELS 

PRESENTED  BY 

RICHARD  H.  WILMER,  JR. 


BY   CAPTAIN    CHARLES    KING,   U.S.A. 
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Bareheaded,  with  liis  eoat  torn  open  from  throat  to  waist. 


/,^u 


THE 

GENERAL'S    DOUBLE 


A   STORY  OF 
THE  ARMY   OF   THE   POTOMAC 


BY 
CAPTAIN    CHARLES   KING,   U.  S.  A. 


ILLUSTRATED    BY 

J.   STEEPLE    DAriS 


PHILADELPHIA 

J.  B.  LIPPINCOTT    COMPANY 
1898 


Copyright,  1897, 

BY 
J.  B.  LiPPINCOTT    COMPAIIV. 


TO 

ROBERT   ELIOT, 

MOST    LOYAL    OF    UNION    MEN,    MOST 
PATRIOTIC   OF  CITIZENS,  MOST    PATIENT   OF   READERS, 


AND   MOST  PERTINENT  OF  CRITICS, 

* 


THIS    STORY    OF    THE    WAR    DAYS 

IS 

.dedicated. 


602991 


LIST  OF   ILLUSTRATIONS. 


PAGE 

Bareheaded,  with  his  coat  torn  open  from  throat  to  waist  .    .  12 

"  Drop  them,  sir,  instantly!" 101 

"  Back  with  you,  captain  !     Eide  like  mad" 220 

Blushingly  holding  the  wine-glass 442 


THE  GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 


SOME    LETTERS. 

THE   ADJUTANT'S. 

In  Hospital,  Washington,  D.  C, 

August  2,  18B1. 

Geoege  Lowndes,  Esq.  : 

My  dear  Sie, — The  colonel  has  received  your 
letter  asking  for  the  full  particulars  of  the  death  of 
your  gallant  son,  one  of  the  last  to  fall  on  that  fatal 
Sunday  afternoon.  I  am  spending  the  morning  at 
the  bedside  of  my  commanding  officer,  for  he  him- 
self is  flat  on  his  back,  disabled  by  his  wounds,  and 
he  has  asked  me  to  reply. 

The  papers  have  told  you  how  hopefully  we 
marched  from  Centreville,  and  with  what  enthusi- 
asm the  attack  began.  Of  course,  we  know  now 
that  it  was  intended  that  General  Hunter's  column 
should  open  the  ball  much  earlier  in  the  morning, 
and  that  the  heights  back  of  the  turnpike  should 
have  been  assaulted  soon  after  sunrise,  but  it  seemed 
nearly  noon  before  our  brigade  commander  led  us 
through  the  ford  and  we  pitched  in  to  the  support 
of  the  attack.     You  have  read,  too,  how  successful 

we  were  at  first.     Really,  as  we  swept  up  the  slope 

9 


10  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

in  line,  we  saw  no  enemy  at  all,  only  a  smoky  ridge, 
topped  by  open  fields  in  which  two  regular  batteries 
were  banging  away  in  front  of  the  Henry  house, 
making  tremendous  noise  and  smoke,  and  setting  us 
to  cheering  like  mad.  But  we  had  hardly  gained 
the  crest,  and  were  pushing  forward,  when  the  oppo- 
site woods  blazed  with  fire  and  we  could  see  mounted 
ofiicers  waving  the  rebel  flags  and  rallying  their  men, 
and  then  came  crashing  volleys  from  over  beyond 
the  batteries,  and  the  next  thing  we  knew  those  Fire 
Zouaves  were  tearing  through  the  right  of  our  line 
utterly  demoralized.  Captain  Arnold  was  hit  in  the 
leg  by  a  rifle  ball  just  as  we  reached  the  top,  and  had 
to  fall  out,  and  that  threw  Jack  in  command  of  his 
company,  the  right  flank.  Oh,  Mr.  Lowndes,  I  know 
very  little  of  the  circumstances  that  led  to  the  es- 
trangement between  you  and  your  gTeat,  brave  boy, 
but  if  you  could  have  seen  him  raging  at  those  run- 
ning Zouaves,  hacking  at  them  with  his  sword  and 
damning  them  for  cowards,  calling  meanwhile  on  his 
men  to  keep  their  line,  you  would  have  been  proud 
of  him,  and  you  couldn't  have  helped  it.  He  was 
the  handsomest  fellow  in  the  line  of  ofiicers  anyhow, 
and  that  day  he  seemed  inspired.  He  looked  a  head 
taller  and  grander  and  braver  than  any  man  in  the 
regiment,  even  our  giant  color-bearer. 

It  was  no  use  trying  to  stem  that  rush  to  the  rear, 
though.  Those  fellows  swept  all  over  the  right 
company,  and  then,  as  we  could  catch  a  glimpse 
through  the  smoke,  we  saw  that  horses  and  men  were 


^rl) 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  11 

dropping  in  dozens  all  among  the  guns  and  caissons, 
and  the  bullets  came  whistling  through  our  ranks 
like  hail.  We  couldn't  see  where  to  fire,  couldn't 
hear  what  to  do,  until,  as  we  got  about  half-wav  over 
the  field,  the  rebels  rose  like  a  gray  wall  at  the  edge 
of  the  woods  and  began  pouring  it  into  us.  I  own 
my  heart  jumped  up  into  my  mouth,  and  I  thought 
it  was  all  over  with  us  then,  but  when  the  men  of 
that  first  company  began  to  waver,  for  the  fire  was 
hotter  on  that  flank,  there  was  Jack  shouting  and 
collaring  them  and  shoving  them  back  into  line  and 
waving  his  sword,  and  the  colonel  was  shot  just  as 
he  rode  over  to  praise  him;  and  then  things  seemed 
to  melt  away  anyhow.  We  carried  the  colonel  off 
the  field,  and  we  made  a  stand  at  the  edge  of  the 
bluff,  but  everywhere  the  lines  were  going.  You 
could  see  the  rebels  swarming  through  the  guns  and 
dancing  on  the  caissons  and  yelling  like  mad,  and 
then  that  fresh  line  of  J  ohnston's  from  the  Shenan- 
doah came  crashing  and  volleying  in  from  the  woods, 
and  that  ended  everything.  It  seemed  as  though 
nothing  could  hold  the  men.  They  felt  that  they 
had  been  tricked,  outwitted,  sacrificed,  misled.  God 
knows,  perhaps  they  were;  we  only  obeyed  orders, 
— and  then  down  the  slopes  went  everybody  with  a 
rush,  and  presently  everybody  was  mixed  up  with 
everybody  else. 

But  to  the  very  last  Jack  was  there  with  his  com- 
pany, shouting,  urging,  praying,  threatening,  and 
though  they  got  the  full  force  of  that  flank  fire,  I'm 


12  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

bound  to  say  his  company  was  the  last  to  break  and 
go,  and  all  because  of  him.  My  God!  I  see  him 
now,  glorious  in  his  rage  and  daring,  and  his  utter 
contempt  of  danger.  I  see  him  bareheaded,  with 
his  coat  torn  open  for  air  from  throat  to  waist,  ripped 
in  two  places  by  whizzing  balls.  Another  had  cut 
away  the  tassel  of  his  sash  in  such  a  manner  that 
the  strands  of  the  silk  were  trailing  like  so  much 
blood  down  his  left  leg,  and  all  of  a  sudden,  as  I  was 
running  to  the  right  with  the  order  for  them  to  fall 
back  fighting,  for  the  general  saw  it  had  to  be.  Jack 
suddenly  reeled,  clasped  his  hands  to  his  breast,  and 
then  plunged  heavily  forward  on  his  face.  I 
screamed  to  some  of  the  men  to  raise  him.  Sergeant 
Haney  and  Lou  Willett  strove  to  lift  him,  but  his 
head  fell  on  his  chest;  his  face,  which  had  been 
reeking  with  sweat  a  moment  before,  was  now  plas- 
tered with  mud.  We  did  lift  and  carry  him  down 
the  hill,  but  he  never  gave  a  sound  or  a  sob,  never 
spoke,  never  regained  consciousness  one  minute,  and 
Haney  cried  out,  "My  God!  he's  shot  dead!"  Then 
what  could  we  do?  Such  ambulances  or  wagons  as 
we  had  were  gone  in  mad  panic  and  rush  for  the 
Stone  Bridge.  The  men  had  got  started  on  the  run, 
and  were  throwing  away  knapsacks  and  blankets, 
cartridge-boxes  and  everything.  It  was  all  mad 
flight,  climbing  over  one  another's  heels,  pushing, 
pulling,  swearing, — yes,  some  poor  fellows  were  ab- 
solutely crying  in  terror.  And  then  the  yell  went 
up,  "Look  out!    look  out!     Black  Horse  Cavalry!" 


THE  GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  13 

and  Sergeant  Haney  saw  it  was  no  use,  and,  dead 
tliongli  he  was,  poor  Jack  was  propped  against  a  low 
wall  jnst  south  of  the  pike,  and  there  we  left  him, 
shot  through  and  through,  the  blood  soaking  down 
his  shirt  front.  We  were  barely  in  time  to  save  our 
own  skins,  for  half  a  dozen  were  cut  off  and  captured 
not  ten  yards  behind  us  as  we  got  in  sight  of  the 
bridge. 

And  that  is  all  I  have  the  heart  to  write.  We 
were  strangers,  your  son  and  I,  until  chance  brought 
us  together  in  the  same  regiment,  but  a  more  sol- 
dierly fellow  never  lived,  despite  the  recklessness 
that  seemed  to  possess  him  when  camp  life  grew 
monotonous.  He  did  not  like  me  at  first,  because  I 
had  to  be  the  writer  of  occasional  missives  ordered 
by  the  colonel,  who  is  a  strict  disciplinarian,  but  I 
was  drawn  to  him  from  the  start,  and  we  soon  be- 
came warm  friends.  Duties  j^revented  my  seeing 
as  much  of  him  as  I  could  have  wished.  The  colo- 
nel was  hard,  perhaps,  when  we  lay  around  Wash- 
ington, for  Jack  was  drawn  thither,  I  fancy,  by  a 
fascination  he  could  not  resist.  But  from  the  time 
Ave  got  across  the  Potomac  and  well  out  towards 
Fairfax  he  Avas  a  model  officer,  and  we  all  swore  by 
him.  Bull  Run  would  have  made  him  a  captain  had 
it  not  killed  him.  There  isn't  a  man  in  the  regiment 
that  doesn't  mourn  his  loss, — that  doesn't  seem  to 
think  our  best  soldier  was  killed  in  our  first  fight. 

I  wish  I  could  send  you  some  token  or  relic,  or 
the  papers  to  Avhich  you  refer,  but  there  was  no  time. 


14  THE  GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

I  did  try  to  unloose  his  sword,  but  the  knot  was 
looped  tight  about  his  wrist,  just  as  he  had  worn  it 
so  gallantly,  and  it  seemed  as  though  he  resisted  the 
effort,  and  I  let  it  go.  We  pray  that  your  quest  may 
be  successful  and  that  your  friends  can  ascertain  for 
you  just  where  poor  Jack  was  buried,  and  I  need  not 
say  that  we  would  gladly  aid  in  the  search  were  it 
permitted  us.  In  any  event,  believe  me,  dear  sir, 
in  sympathy  and  sorrow, 

Faithfully  yours, 

Esmond  Harkness, 
Adjutant  — th  Regiment  New  York  Volunteers. 

P.  S. — To  be  accurate  as  to  the  spot  where  we  left 
him,  I  should  say  it  was  just  about  due  north  from 
the  Robinson  house  and  at  the  edge  of  the  turnpike. 

THE    REGIMENTAL    COMMANDER'S. 

In  Camp  near  Alexandria,  Virginia, 
August  3,  1861. 
George  Lowndes,  Esq., 

No.  ,  Fifth  Avenue,  New  York: 

Dear  Sir, — Agreeably  to  your  request,  I  send 
you  the  enclosed  extract  referring  to  your  son  from 
my  official  report  of  the  battle  of  Bull  Run. 

"The  rout  began  to  our  right  and  the  fugitives 
came  rushing  through  our  lines  despite  all  efforts  to 
stem  or  turn  them.  Captain  Arnold  having  been 
wounded,  the  command  of  the  first  company  de- 
volved upon  Lieutenant  Lowndes,  who  instantly 
sprang  to  the  front,  and  by  voice,  example,  and  j^er- 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  15 

sonal  effort  did  everything  in  the  power  of  man  to 
check  the  fugitives  and  hold  his  own  company  in 
line.  In  this  he  was  successful  only  so  far  as  the 
company  was  concerned.  They  fell  back  as  ordered, 
with  steady  front,  keeping  up  their  loading  and 
firing  until  we  reached  the  crest  again,  and  here  the 
volleying  from  our  right  front  seemed  to  redouble. 
The  regular  batteries  were  silenced  and  captured, 
the  rebels  were  swarming  all  over  them,  and  with 
everything  gone  to  the  right  and  left  of  us  I  had  to 
order  retreat.  Just  at  this  juncture.  Lieutenant 
Lowndes  received  the  fatal  bullet  that  entered  his 
breast  and  probably  penetrated  the  heart,  for  he  fell 
on  his  face  and  never  spoke  again.  So  long  as  there 
seemed  hoj)e  of  his  life  his  comrades  bore  him  down 
the  slope,  but  were  compelled  to  abandon  the  body 
on  reaching  the  pike.  Thus  died  a  brilliant  soldier 
and  heroic  man,  who  would  doubtless  have  risen  to 
high  rank  had  he  been  longer  spared  to  his  country's 
service." 

It  would  have  been  easy  to  add  words  of  higher 
praise  for  this  young  man,  and,  had  I  consulted  my 
own  desire,  I  should  not  have  withheld  them,  but 
such  praise  might  have  been  considered  a  reflection 
upon  my  superior,  who,  earlier  in  the  campaign,  at 
least,  seemed  to  find  it  difficult  to  overlook  certain 
absences,  etc.,  to  which  I  would  not  now  refer  but 
for  your  own  allusions  to  them.  From  the  time  our 
onward  march  began  Lieutenant  Lowndes  was  a 
model  soldier. 


16  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

I  deeply  regret  that  it  is  impossible  to  comply 
with  your  request  that  further  search  be  made  for 
papers,  etc.,  supposed  to  be  in  the  possession  of  your 
son.  Everything  except  what  was  on  his  person  at 
the  time  we  went  into  action  was  carefully  packed 
under  the  supervision  of  Major  Murray  and  sent  to 
you  by  express.  If  there  were  other  papers  of  im- 
portance, they  fell  with  the  body  into  the  hands  of 
the  enemy. 

Accept  the  tender  of  my  s^anpathy  in  this  deep 
affliction,  and  believe  me,  dear  sir, 
Very  truly  yours, 

Leroy  p.  Fitch, 
Lieutenant- Col  on  el    commanding   — tli    New    YorTc 

Volunteers. 

A    SISTER'S    LETTER. 

No.  —  Fifth  Avenuk,  New  York  City, 
August  4,  1861. 

Your  letter  has  reached  me,  and  answer  it  I  sup- 
pose I  must;  and  yet  how  can  you  expect  me  to 
write  calmly  at  such  a  time?  Jack  loved  you  de- 
votedly, and  all  might  have  been  so  different  if  you 
could  only  have  been  more  kind.  That  last  dreadful 
quarrel  between  him  and  father,  when  father  found 
that  he  was  here  in  New  York  again,  instead  of  at- 
tending to  his  duties  at  Monadnock,  and  all  because 
you  would  not  answer  his  letters  and  the  poor  boy 
craved  the  sight  of  your  face, — that  last  quarrel,  I 
say,  would  have  killed  mother  had  she  lived  to  see 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  17 

it;  and  from  that  awful  night  when  father  ordered 
him  out  of  the  house,  out  of  the  home  where  we  had 
been  so  happy,  I  never  saw  my  darling  brother's  face 
again.  God  forgive  you,  Belle  Heatherwood ;  I  can- 
not— yet.  I  know  that  he  was  reckless,  improvident, 
that  his  college  days  were  failures,  but  mother 
always  spoiled  and  shielded  him,  always  gave  him 
money  when  father  denied  him.  He  was  a  different 
man  from  the  day  you  first  came  to  this  house  as  our 
guest  and  my  trusted  friend.  He  became  your  slave, 
and  he  worshipped  the  very  ground  you  trod  on. 
He  abandoned  all  his  old  companions  and  devoted 
every  hour  to  you.  I  was  even  jealous  to  see  my 
brother's  love  so  lavishly  poured  out,  but  if  I  had 
supposed  you  could  refuse  him  it  would  have  been 
a  thousand  times  worse.  Admitting  that  he  had 
been  reckless,  intemperate,  and  played  cards  and  bet, 
and — did  other  things  that  worried  mother  and  in- 
furiated father,  that  was  all  in  the  past,  and  it  was 
all  the  fault  of  the  fast  set  with  which  he  had  been 
thrown  from  the  start.  At  heart  Jack  was  ever  a 
gentleman,  full  of  sweetest  impulse,  kind,  brave,  and 
generous,  even  to  the  men  that  made  a  ^vreck  of  his 
life.  But  all  that  old  life,  I  say,  was  changed.  He 
became  a  totally  different  man  from  the  moment  he 
met  you.  At  least  he  was,  and  would  have  remained 
so,  so  long  as  you  were  kind  to  him.  If  you  really 
were  in  love  with  Floyd  Fairfax  I  would  not  have 
blamed  you,  but  you  weren't — you  told  me  again 
and  again  that  you  were  not.     Then  why  couldn't 


18  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

you  think  of  Jack?  O  God!  O  God!  it's  all  over 
now,  and  my  heart's  broken.  Father  sits  all  day  in 
his  study  and  broods.  1  know  he'd  give  anything — 
everything — to  call  my  brother  back  and  bid  him 
forget  the  bitter  words — my  great,  gallant,  noble 
brother.  Belle,  Belle,  no  matter  how  you  may  sym- 
pathize with  this  wicked  rebellion,  no  matter  how 
many  kinsmen  you  may  have  on  the  Southern  side, 
even  your  cold  heart  must  beat  with  pride  when  you 
read  how  superbly  brave  Jack  w^as,  how  gloriously 
he  died,  fighting  for  our  beautiful  flag — my  hero 
brother,  my  noble  Jack! 

There,  I've  stopped — I  had  to  stop  or  blur  this 
letter  so  that  it  would  be  utterly  unintelligible,  but 
I  am  calmer  now.  You  were  my  dearest  friend, 
Belle,  and  I  have  tried  to  put  myself  in  your  place 
and  think  for  you.  I  try  to  believe  all  you  tell  me 
of  your  sorrow  and  sympathy.  Father  commands 
me  to  say  that  he  deeply  appreciates  your  letter  and 
a  very  sweet  one  that  came  from  your  dear  mother 
from  some  place  over  in  Virginia,  where  she  had 
gone  to  be  near  your  wounded — there  was  no  one,  no 
one,  to  give  my  Jack  a  drop  of  cool  water  in  his 
dying  agony.  I  wish  I  could  write  in  some  other 
way,  but  I  can't,  and  if  you're  hurt  I  can't  help  it, 
Belle.  You  would  have  my  answer,  and  this  is  the 
best  I  can  do.  You  ask  what  our  plans  are,  and  I 
reply  that  we  shall  remain  here  in  iSTew  York  for  the 
present.  Aunt  Eunice  is  here  with  us,  but  father 
expects  to  leave  for  Washington  to-night,  perhaps. 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  19 

in  hopes  of  recovering  Jack's  body.  It  was  your 
picture  that  lay  on  his  heart  ^vhen  he  died.  Father 
bids  me  say  that  you  and  your  mother  will  be  wel- 
come now  or  at  any  time  that  you  feel  ready  to 
come,  but  I  cannot  dissemble.  I  will  only  pray  that 
your  brother  may  not  be  taken  from  you  as  was  mine 
from 

Florence  Lowndes. 

A    WOMAN'S    LETTER. 

—  EuTAw  Street,  Baltimore, 
August  6. 

Again  I  write  you,  dear  Florence,  not  to  upbraid 
you  for  the  reproaches  in  your  letter  which  reached 
me  last  night,  but  to  explain  some  matters  wherein 
you  must  have  been  misinformed.  God  forbid  that 
I  should  resent  any  word  you  may  have  written 
when  so  sorely  stricken.  I  tremble  to  think  that  at 
any  moment  I,  too,  may  lose  the  brother  I  deeply 
love.  Florence,  you  have  your  father  still.  You 
have  many  friends  and  relatives  who  have  taken  no 
part  in  this  cruel  war  against  us,  against  our 
hearths  and  homes,  but  all  of  mine, — every  man 
of  our  name  or  kin  is  now  enrolled  in  the  Confed- 
erate army.  All  of  ours  are  gone.  We  are  utterly 
alone.  Mother,  as  you  know,  is  now  at  Warrenton 
nursing  our  wounded.  Mrs.  Fairfax,  Floyd's  mother, 
is  with  her,  and  cousin  Belle  (Mrs.  Tighlman),  and 
not  a  word  has  reached  us  from  them  for  over  a 
week.     It  is  her  purpose  to  return  when  she  can  be 


20  THE  GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

spared  and  to  live  at  Ileatherwood,  which  Major 
Thomas  guarded  for  us  until  recently,  but  which 
has,  nevertheless,  suffered  not  a  little. 

And  this  will  be  the  more  painful  to  me  because 
of  all  its  association  with  Jack.  Two  months  last 
year,  September  and  October,  he  was  with  us  almost 
all  the  time,  and  if  I  was  unkind  to  him,  Florence, 
it  was  because  he  was  angering  his  father  and  ruin- 
ing his  own  prospects.  Thrice  mother  brought  me 
letters  Mr.  Lowndes  had  written^  blaming  her  be- 
cause Jack  would  not  obey  him  and  return  to  his 
duties.  I  pleaded  with  Jack  to  go,  and  he  would  not. 
T  did  behave  to  him  with  coldness  at  last,  and  told 
him  his  presence  there  was  a  distress  to  us  all,  but  he 
would  never  have  misunderstood  my  motive  if  Floyd 
Fairfax  had  not  happened  just  then  to  arrive.  Jack 
did  leave  our  roof  and  went  to  visit  Frank  Waddell 
at  Leesburg  and  the  Tighlmans  at  Frederick,  but 
every  now  and  then  he  would  reappear  while  Floyd 
was  here,  and  from  the  first  they  seemed  hostile  to 
each  other,  and  poor  mother  was  bitterly  distressed. 
Finally,  as  I  say,  I  had  to  tell  Jack  that  I  would  see 
him  no  more.  There  had  been  words  between  him 
and  Mr.  Fairfax  that  day,  and  a  bitter  letter  came 
from  your  father,  and  I  was  harsh  and  unkind,  per- 
haps, but  when  I  saw  how  utterly  he  was  stung, 
when  I  learned  that  he  had  gone,  really  gone,  then 
my  heart  misgave  me.  They  told  mother  he  was  at 
the  Club  in  Baltimore  a  whole  week,  and  she  pres- 
ently followed  him  there,  to  try  and  persuade  him  to 


THE  GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  21 

go  home;    and  then  we  heard  other  things, — of  his 
breaking  down,  and  it  nearly  broke  my  heart. 

Florence,  we  had  to  go  to  New  York  last  winter 
again,  we  had  promised  that  visit  to  the  Bells,  and  I 
did  \vr\te  to  Jack  telling  him  how  I  grieved  over  the 
harsh  words  I  had  used,  and  begged  him  to  forgive 
me  and  be  friends,  and  he  misunderstood  it  all, — 
thought  I  wanted  to  call  him  back,  and  so  he  came 
to  Xew  York  again  and  stayed,  and  you  know  the 
rest.  I,  too,  implored  him  to  return  to  Monadnock, 
but  he  hated  the  place  and  told  me  of  troubles  he 
had  with  your  father's  lawyer,  Mr.  Clarke;  and  then 
your  father  came  and  accused  me  of  luring  Jack 
there  and  holding  him  there.  It  was  that  night  that 
I  told  him  either  he  or  1  must  leave  I^ew  York. 
And  that  ended  everything. 

Then  came  the  news  of  Sumter,  and  you  know 
all  the  rest.  Time  will  acquit  me  of  your  charges, 
Florence,  but  this  I  will  tell  you  now;  even  though 
he  died  battling  against  all  I  hold  dear,  against  kith 
and  kin  and  home,  I  did  glory  in  his  valor,  and  I 
wept  for  days  over  his  death.  I  am  weeping  now. 
But  for  one  thing  I  think  I  would  have  said  yes  to 
him  a  year  ago,  and  if  it  could  recall  him  from  the 
grave,  even  in  that  uniform, — I  know  I  would  say  it 
now. 

Belle  Heatherwood. 


CHAPTEK   I. 

The  Sim  had  gone  down  over  the  bold  blue 
heights  towards  the  Shenandoah,  and  all  the  broad 
valley  of  the  Potomac  lay  in  shadow.  Bursting  from 
its  mountain  gate-way  to  the  west  at  Point  of  Rocks, 
the  river  came  rippling  and  swirling  about  the  huge 
boulders  that  dotted  its  bosom,  and  then,  abruptly 
bending,  swept  away  in  long,  shadowy,  willow- 
fringed  curves  towards  the  south.  Over  on  the 
northward, — the  Maryland  shore, — where  the  placid 
waters  lay  mirroring  the  cloud  fleet  sailing  across 
the  summer  sky,  faint  columns  of  bluish  smoke 
went  drifting  aloft  among  the  white  tents  at  the 
ferry  landing,  and  the  voices  of  the  guard,  clus- 
tered about  a  motley  batch  of  mud  scows  and  pon- 
toons moored  under  the  shelving  bank,  came  drow- 
sily over  the  intervening  waters.  Here,  on  the 
Virginia  side,  a  squadron  of  grimy  cavalry  had  dis- 
mounted in  the  dun-red  dust  of  the  roadway  and 
was  silently  awaiting  the  result  of  its  leader's  parley 
with  the  opposite  shore.  Some  of  the  troopers,  pass- 
ing their  reins  through  the  headstall  of  a  comrade's 
horse,  had  thrown  themselves  on  the  scant  herbage 
by  the  roadside  and,  with  their  caps  pulled  over  their 

faces,  had  gone  instantly  sound  asleep.     Some  few, 
22 


THE  GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  23 

with  the  bight  of  the  reins  looped  about  a  blue-clad 
arm,  were  squatting  or  lying  in  the  soft  dust  of  the 
trampled  thoroughfare,  reckless  of  contact  that 
might  increase  the  volume  but  could  not  add  to  the 
effect  of  the  besmirching  soil.  Some  few,  well  up 
towards  the  head  of  column,  confident,  apparently, 
of  their  young  leader's  approval  or  at  least  never 
seeking  audible  token  thereof,  had  led  their  weary 
steeds  to  the  water's  edge  and  were  busily  sponging 
out  their  dust-clogged  eyes  and  nostrils.  The  bearer 
of  the  silken  guidon  was  one  of  these,  and,  leaning 
the  staff  against  the  blanket  roll  at  the  cantle  of  his 
saddle,  he  was  sousing  his  own  sun-tanned  visage  in 
the  stream  when  something  sent  the  little  standard 
clattering  down  upon  his  broad  back,  off  which  it 
bounded  and  splashed  into  the  now  turbid  waters. 
It  was  fished  out  in  an  instant,  and  the  young  cor- 
poral cast  an  anxious  glance  at  the  slender  form  of 
the  squadron  commander,  as  though  expectant  of 
reprimand,  but  that  usually  "snappy"  officer  was 
busily  studying  the  opposite  landing  through  his 
field-glass  and  concentrating  his  sharp  sayings  on  the 
sluggish  movements  of  the  ferrymen.  The  horses 
thus  led  to  the  riverside  had  plunged  their  muzzles 
deep  in  the  refreshing  flood  and,  after  slaking  their 
thirst,  were  tossing  their  heads  from  side  to  side  and 
lashing  the  waters  into  spray  in  keen  relish  of  their 
own  privilege  as  being  at  the  head  of  column,  and  in 
equine  triumph  over  the  less  fortunate  bulk  of  their 
comrades  deeper  down  in  the  command.    A  grizzled 


24  THE  GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

sergeant,  true  to  the  old  dragoon  tenet  of  watering- 
only  when  you  can  water  all,  had  indeed  interposed 
a  growling  protest  against  this  undisciplined  proceed- 
ing on  part  of  the  men,  but  the  silence  of  the  senior 
sergeant  had  given  consent,  and  the  work  went  on. 
Other  troopers,  not  yet  asleep,  profited  by  the  ex- 
ample of  the  few  in  front,  and  they,  too,  came  lead- 
ing down  to  the  water's  edge,  seeing  which,  the  first 
sergeant,  with  perfunctory  touch  of  the  hand  to  his 
cap  visor,  briefly  addressed  his  commander: 

"Can  we  water,  sir?" 

A  nod  was  the  only  response.  The  lieutenant  was 
too  busy  to  waste  his  words.  The  trumpeter,  at  a 
glance  from  the  sergeant,  wriggled  out  of  the  dirty, 
yellow  braided  cord  by  which  his  brazen  clarion  was 
hung  between  his  shoulder-blades,  clapped  the  in- 
strument to  his  mouth,  ground  his  heels  into  the 
yielding  sand,  fixed  his  eyes  on  vacancy,  and  essayed 
to  sound  "water  call,"  but  so  parched  was  his  own 
gullet  that  the  resultant  discord  was  a  burlesque  of 
the  stirring  peal  to  which  the  troopers  were  accus- 
tomed. Some  of  them  growled  a  soldier  anathema 
on  the  luckless  performer.  Some  contented  them- 
selves with  casual  and  comprehensive  reference  to 
the  hottest  region  known  to  them.  Some  few,  not 
utterly  tired  out,  laughed  or  chuckled  audibly  over 
Schmitz's  failure.  One  young  rider  jocularly  ad- 
dressed him.  "If  it  was  beer  call  could  you  sound  it, 
Dutchy?"  he  asked,  as  he  tossed  his  carbine  back- 
ward over  the  shoulder,  letting  it  hang  there  by  the 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  25 

sling,  while  leading  his  drooping  horse  down  the 
somewhat  steep  incline  to  the  shore. 

"He  could  answer  it,  begad,"  spoke  a  tall  corporal, 
who  followed  closely  at  the  weary  charger's  heels, 
"and  so  could  I  if  it  were  only  Baltimore  brew. 
Tumble  up  here,  Larry^"  he  continued,  launching  a 
kick  from  his  spurred  boot  at  the  recumbent  form  of 
a  comrade  at  the  roadside.  "It's  little  you  look  like 
a  light  dragoon  this  day,  if  you  are  the  beau  of  the 
troop.  Larry,  I  say!"  he  continued,  stopping  short 
and  prodding  the  victim  with  his  foot.  "It's  water 
call.     Don't  you  hear?" 

"Aw,  leave  Beau  alone,  Jimmy.  Don't  you  know 
he  was  orderly  to  old  Foulweather  all  last  night? 
Sure  he  hasn't  slept  out  of  saddle  for  forty-eight 
hours." 

"Fact,"  answered  Corporal  Jim,  remorsefully. 
"Here,  give  me  his  horse,  too.     I'll  take  him." 

But  already  the  trooper  referred  to  as  "Beau"  be- 
gan to  find  his  legs,  yawning  sleepily  the  while  and 
rubbing  his  red-rimmed  eyes  with  the  back  of  a  worn 
gauntlet,  an  article  owned  by  not  half  a  dozen  men 
in  the  squadron.  It  needed  but  a  glance  to  deter- 
mine that  in  this  tall,  slender,  yet  stalwart  man  was 
a  creature  of  somewhat  finer  mould  than  the  run  of 
his  comrades.  Standing  nearly  six  feet  two,  with 
broad,  muscular  shoulders  and  deep,  massive  chest, 
lean  in  flank  and  slim,  comparatively,  at  the  girth, 
with  head  well  poised  and  carried  almost  proudly, 
if  not  even  haughtily,  erect,  with  straight,  broad-nos- 


26  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

trilled  nose,  overhanging  eyebrows,  oval  face,  and 
clear  cut  chin, — all  was  fine  even  through  the  coat- 
ing of  dust.      Underneath  the  matted  brows  and 
lashes  a  pair  of  keen  blue  eyes  flashed  forth,  bright 
and  piercing  despite  the  sleeplessness  of  the  nights 
gone  by.     A  blond  moustache,  red-bronzed  now  by 
the  Virginia  dust,  the  hirsute  adornment  then  called 
an  imperial,  and  close-cropped,  light-brown  hair  com- 
pleted the  framework  of  these  attractive  features.  A 
battered  forage-cap  of  the  style  then  known  as  Mc- 
Clellan,  with  the  crossed  sabres  and  regimental  num- 
ber in  tarnished  brass  upon  the  overhanging  crown 
and  the  unbound  visor  turned  up  instead  of  down,  sat 
jauntily  well  forward  on  his  head.     The  high  collar 
of  his  trooper  jacket,  heavily  trimmed  with  tawdry 
yellow  worsted  lace,  was  unhooked  at  the  throat  and 
destitute  of  stock,  but  a  dark-red  silk  handkerchief 
was  loosely  knotted  about  the  neck,  and  half-way 
down  the  front  the  jacket  itself  was  unbuttoned, 
showing  the  coarse  gray  flannel  of  the  shirt.     His 
straight,  sinewy  legs  were  cased  in  cavalry  trousers  of 
light-blue  cloth,  and  thrust  deep  into  a  pair  of  top 
boots,  much  finer  than  those  of  government  make. 
Over   his   shoulder   passed   a   broad   black   leather 
carbine  sling,  its  buckle  tarnished,  its  steel  swivel 
coated  with  rust,  and  the  carbine  swinging  therefrom 
was  weather-beaten  and  rusty  too.     His  waist  was 
girt  about  by  the  *'buif  leather"  belt  then  worn  in 
the  service,  supporting  holster  and  Colt  revolver  at 
the  right  hip,  and  a  dangling,  battered,  rusty  sabre 


THE  GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  27 

and  scabbard  on  the  left  side.  A  common  brass 
spur  was  strapped  to  the  right  boot,  but  its  mate  was 
missing.  This,  barring  the  silk  handkerchief  and 
the  handsome  boots,  and  the  fact  that  most  of  them 
had  two  spurs,  was  practically  the  costume  of  every 
one  of  the  ninety  men  who  made  up  Hamlin's  squad- 
ron of  the  — th  regular  cavalry, — two  troops  whose 
captains  were  commanding  brigades  of  volunteers, 
one  of  whose  lieutenants  was  leading  a  regiment, 
another  languishing  in  Libby,  another  on  staff  duty, 
leaving  only  Bob  Hamlin  to  command  the  array. 

A  good  soldier  was  Bob,  one  of  the  not  too  many 
in  whom  a  capital  sergeant  had  successfully  borne 
his  elevation  to  a  commission.  Not  yet  twenty-six 
years  of  age,  he  had  served  in  the  cavalry  in  Texas 
and  on  the  plains  when  such  service  was  full  of  hard- 
ship, peril,  and  isolation,  had  won  his  way  to  the  chev- 
rons after  a  spirited  brush  with  Comanches,  and 
when  half  the  officers  of  his  former  regiment  went 
with  their  State  in  '61,  and  that  regiment,  with 
most  of  the  others  in  the  army,  was  sorely  de- 
pleted as  to  the  commissioned  list,  the  vacancies  were 
filled  by  the  appointment  of  civilians  and  the  pro- 
motion of  scores  of  intelligent  non-commissioned 
officers  who  bade  fair  to  show  fine  mettle  and  ability 
in  their  new  grade.  Mettle  was  never  lacking, 
though  the  ability  was  sometimes  questioned,  but 
not  in  Bob  Hamlin's  case.  "There's  a  fellow  who 
can  get  almost  anything  out  of  his  men,"  said  an  ad- 
miring brother  officer,  "and  I  believe  it's  because  he 
never  nags  them." 


28  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

And  yet  Mr.  Hamlin  was  one  of  the  strictest 
young  officers  in  the  service.  For  many  months 
of  the  first  year  of  the  war  his  troop  had  been  sta- 
tioned in  and  about  the  city  of  "Washington,  and 
was  noted  for  its  spick  and  span  neatness  and  style. 
It  was  a  sight  to  see  it  on  Pennsylvania  Avenue  on 
sunshiny  days  in  its  trim-fitting  uniform,  with  glis- 
tening shoulder-scales,  buckles,  and  scabbards,  riding 
up  to  the  War  Department  or  head-quarters  of  the 
army.  Its  horses  M'^ere  marvellously  groomed  and 
cared  for  then,  and  this  being  before  the  days  of  big 
bounties  in  the  volunteers,  not  a  few  enthusiastic 
young  soldiers  in  the  ranks  of  State  troops  succeeded 
in  getting  transferred  to  this  particular  troop  of  regu- 
lars, while  on  more  than  one  occasion  there  appeared 
at  the  lieutenant's  ofiice  young  civilians  who  had 
seen,  perhaps,  too  much  of  higher  life,  and  now 
sought  admission  to  the  ranks  of  the  cavalry,  and  one 
of  these  was  Larry  or  as  he  was  borne  upon  the  mus- 
ter roll,  "Lawrence  Bell." 

At  first  Mr,  Hamlin  had  refused  to  enlist  him. 
"I  know  your  kind  exactly,"  he  had  not  unkindly 
said.  "You  are  a  man  of  social  position.  You've 
had  trouble,  and  now  with  an  alias  you  come  here  to 
enlist  and  bury  yourself  in  the  regulars.  We  buried 
two  of  your  set  after  first  Bull  Run, — fellows  who 
thought  they  ought  to  stay  and  whip  the  whole 
South  when  the  rest  of  us  were  falling  back  on  the 
Potomac.     I'd  rather  not  take  you." 

"Very  well,  sir.     Then  I'll  enlist  at  the  Capitol 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  29 

Barracks,"  said  Mr.  Bell,  neither  affirming  nor  de- 
nying the  lieutenant's  theory,  and,  finding  him 
calmly  determined,  and  being  furthermore  a  bit  in- 
quisitive, Hamlin  himself  yielded,  and  "Beau  Bell" 
his  recruit  became  before  he  had  been  with  the  troop 
a  week. 

But  now  it  was  mid-October,  '62.  Antietam  had 
been  fought,  and  Lee  allowed  to  make  good  his  re- 
treat to  the  sacred  soil.  His  army  had  pushed  on 
southward,  taking  it  leisurely,  while  McClellan, 
timid  and  irresolute,  was  hovering  along  the  Po- 
tomac, deaf  to  urgent  pleas  for  action,  pursuit, — 
anything  rather  than  standing  there  all  the  day  idle. 

Hamlin's  squadron  had  been  scouting  along  the 
east  front  of  the  curtaining  range,  peeping  through 
Aldie  and  Upperville  and  the  Gaps  at  the  dust 
clouds  of  the  slowly  retiring  hosts,  far  over  beyond 
the  Shenandoah,  and  "not  once  did  Beau  Larry 
turn  a  hair,"  as  Sergeant  Shaw  expressed  it.  He 
had  stepped  into  his  uniform  and  swung  into  his  sad- 
dle with  the  easy  grace  of  a  born  cavalryman.  He 
said  nothing  of  what  he  knew  of  soldiercraft,  yet 
proved  to  be  better  "set  up"  and  better  drilled  than 
some  of  his  instructors.  He  didn't  like  the  balance 
of  the  carbine  at  first,  and  from  the  fact  that  with 
this  one  weapon  he  seemed  awkward,  and  only  this 
one,  the  old  sergeants  concluded  that  he  had  learned 
the  manual  with  the  musket  in  hand.  But  he  could 
groom  a  horse  and  give  some  troopers  points  in  the 
care  of  the  hoof.    He  kept  his  own  counsel,  minded 


30  THE   GENERAL'S   DOUBLE. 

his  own  business,  sought  no  intimacies,  repelled  none 
who  sought  his,  yet  dismissed  them  with  his  blessing 
and  abundance  of  tobacco.  He  had  money,  or  it 
came  to  him  frequently,  and  he  showed  some  dis- 
crimination in  loaning  it,  as  speedily  nine-tenths  of 
the  men  importuned  him  to  do.  He  avoided  discus- 
sion,  contention,  criticism  of  every  and  any  kind; 
was  patient,  even  conciliatory  in  manner  towards 
his  new  comrades,  who  bored  him  very  much,  de- 
spite their  interest  in  his  doings.  He  was  frequently 
one  of  the  show  figures  of  the  troop,  and  could  have 
been  detailed  for  permanent  duty  at  the  quarters  of 
some  big  functionary  in  Washington  had  he  not 
almost  excitedly  urged  that  he  might  never  be  de- 
tached for  any  such  purpose.  On  campaign,  in  the 
field,  he  said,  he  would  take  his  chance  as  orderly 
for  any  of  the  general  officers  who  might  desire,  but 
he  drew  the  line  at  AVashington.  He  rejoiced 
heartily  when  hurried  off  to  Yorktown  with  the 
transport.  He  was  eager  in  the  pursuit  to  Williams- 
burg, and  foremost  at  the  start  in  the  famous  charge 
at  Gaines's  Mill,  but  ere  they  had  fairly  taken  the 
gallop  his  horse  went  down  and  pinned  him  under- 
neath, saving  his  life,  perhaps,  but  nearly  breaking 
his  leg.  A  veteran  cavalry  general  had  him  assigned 
to  duty  a  few  days  at  his  head-quarters  and  was  as- 
tonished when  the  young  soldier  begged  to  be  re- 
lieved. But  now  under  other  skies  and  other  soldiers 
Hamlin's  squadron  was  scouring  the  Virginia  roads, 
nimbly   dodging   the   heavier   bodies   of    Southern 


THE  GENERALS  DOUBLE.  31 

horse  and  swooping  fearlessly  in  headlong  charge 
when  numbers  were  anywhere  near  equal.  And  on 
this  particularly  dry  and  sun-baked  day  in  October 
it  had  been  marching  and  scouting  since  early  dawn, 
and  was  now  sore  hungTy  for  supper. 

"Are  you  looking  for  your  horse,  Beau?"  asked 
a  jovial  Irish  boy,  rolling  the  quid  of  "plug"  into  the 
other  cheek.  "Will  ye  lend  me  the  price  of  a  pint 
till  St.  Peter's  pay-day  if  I  find  him?"  for  Beau  was 
just  beginning  to  see  that  his  charger  was  gone  and 
that  his  comrades  were  slowly  leading  down  to 
water. 

"Faix,  it  isn't  the  horse  Larry's  lookin'  for," 
chimed  in  a  second,  an  ill-favored  specimen;  "its 
the  off  side  saddle-bag.  Isn't  it  now,  Larry?  Sure 
ye  niver  yet  told  us  what's  in  the  tin  case,  and  that's 
what  the  corporal's  looking  through  now." 

Bell  started  as  though  stung  by  a  lash,  sent  one 
piercing  glance  at  the  speaker,  probably  flushed  red 
under  the  red  dust  coat  of  his  skin,  but  only  the  sud- 
den blaze  in  his  eye  betrayed  it.  Then  down  the 
bank  he  went,  finding  the  corporal  indeed  tugging 
at  the  strap  of  the  saddle-bag,  yet  only,  as  he 
promptly  explained,  to  fasten  the  thing  because  it 
had  come  loose.  But  the  corporal  turned  and  curi- 
ously studied  the  tall  soldier  who  had  so  suddenly 
roused  himself  and  was  now  standing  glowering 
angrily,  suspiciously,  at  his  side.  With  scant  cere- 
mony. Bell  himself  seized  the  strap,  almost  jerking 
it  from  his  comrade's  hands,  unbuckled  what  had 


32  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

just  been  buckled,  raised  the  flap  and,  interposing  a 
broad  back  between  the  bag  and  the  by-standers, 
thrust  his  hand  within  the  folds  as  though  to  satisfy 
himself  that  certain  items  were  there,  and  then, 
withdrawing  it,  raised  the  flap  and  reassured  himself 
by  a  long  peep. 

"You're  no  end  particular  about  that  saddle-bag. 
Beau,"  said  the  nettled  non-commissioned  officer. 
"I  was  doing  you  a  friendly  service,  man,  and  you 
look  as  though  you  thought  me  a  thief." 

"There's  nothing  there  worth  stealing,  corporal," 
was  the  reply,  in  a  voice  that  lacked  all  ring  of 
heartiness.  "Yet  it's  mine  and  no  other  man's,  and 
I  gave  fair  warning  when  Devlin  tried  it  that  I'd 
have  no  tampering  with  my  possessions.  One  of  the 
men  said  you  were  opening  it,  and  I'm  glad  to  find 
you  were  not.    That's  all  there  is  to  it." 

"That  isn't  all  there  is  to  it,  Bell,  and  you  may 
understand  it  now,  first  and  last.  I'm  not  the  man 
to  pry  into  your  affairs,  nor  am  I  one  to  take  any 
threats.    You  can't  handle  me  as  you  did  Devlin." 

"jSTot  while  you  wear  those,  at  least,"  answered 
Bell,  with  significant  nod  of  his  head  at  the  chevrons 
of  faded  yellow.     "Not  while " 

"Not  while  they're  either  on  or  off.  Bell,"  was  the 
spirited  reply.  "No  man  in  this  squadron  can  say  I 
ever  crawled  behind  a  corporal's  warrant  to  shy  a 
fight.  You  insinuated  a  dirty  thing  when  you  vir- 
tually accused  me  of  prying  into  your  affairs.  Damn 
your  saddle-bags  and  you,  too." 


THE   GENERALS  DOUBLE.  33 

"That'll  do,  there,  you  men,"  came  in  sharp,  im- 
perative tones  the  voice  of  the  first  sergeant.  Even 
the  lieutenant  had  lowered  his  glass  and  turned 
about  to  see  whose  voice  it  was  that  angrily  broke 
the  drowsy  silence  of  the  late  afternoon. 

"You  can  find  me  whenever  you  want  me,  Bell," 
continued  the  corporal,  in  low  tone,  "and  there'll  be 
no  chevrons  when  we  strip."  And  with  that,  both 
angered  and  hurt,  the  young  soldier  turned  away, 
and  the  troopers  that  had  begun  to  gather  about  the 
two  led  on  to  water,  leaving  Bell,  with  gleaming  eye, 
restrapping  his  saddle-bag  and  loosening  the  girth. 
Any  one  could  see  that  he  was  annoyed  far  more  at 
himself  than  at  Corporal  Dixon.  It  is  when  a  man 
realizes  that  he  has  wronged  another  and  made  an 
ass  of  himself  that  his  temper  is  most  apt  to  be  snap- 
pish and  peppery.  Moodily  he  led  his  weary  horse 
to  one  side,  found  a  place  to  water  him  in  a  little 
pool  among  the  rocks  a  few  yards  farther  down,  let 
him  drink  his  fill,  then  flung  himself  again  upon  the 
bank. 

"The  Duke's  got  his  dander  up  again,"  tittered 
the  Irish  trooper  who  had  told  that  Corporal  Dixon 
was  trying  to  open  the  saddle-bag.  He  was  one  of 
those  ill-conditioned  creatures  whose  happiness  seems 
to  consist  in  setting  other  people  by  the  ears.  "Him 
and  Dixon'd  make  a  fine  match  anyhow,  wouldn't 
they?" 

"Shut  that  ugly  mug  of  yours,  Feeney,"  snapped 

the  nearest  sergeant.     "You've  too  many  snarls  to 

8 


34  THE   GENERAL' S  DOUBLE. 

answer  for  now.  There'll  be  no  fight  between  them 
two  for  all  your  trying.  Even  Devlin  wouldn't 
have  got  into  his  trouble  but  for  your  naggin'." 

It  was  an  old  story  in  Hamlin's  squadron,  though 
it  had  happened  barely  a  month  before, — just  as  Lee 
and  Jackson  came  splashing  through  the  Rappahan- 
nock on  their  famous  dash  around  Pope's  right  flank, 
and  Hamlin's  squadron  was  disembarked  at  Alexan- 
dria and  ordered  to  push  to  the  front.  Somehow, 
somewhere  in  that  sleepy  old  Southern  town  the  Irish 
troopers  got  a  canteen  of  whiskey.  It  was  soon  empty 
and  three  men  were  drunk.  For  joke,  as  he  said, 
Feeney  had  persuaded  Devlin  that  he  would  find 
■liquor  in  that  off  saddle-bag  of  Bell's,  and  Devlin  was 
just  drunk  enough  to  search,  to  drag  out  a  tin  box 
tied  with  silken  cord,  and  to  be  caught  in  the  act  by 
the  angered  owner  just  as  he  was  in  the  further  mis- 
chief of  striving  to  untie  the  cord.  They  left  Devlin 
in  hospital  that  night  when  the  squadron  rode  for 
Centreville.  He  wasn't  well  enough  to  rejoin  when 
they  came  trotting  back  to  the  Long  Bridge  the  first 
week  of  September,  and  had  not  been  able  to  catch 
them  since,  but  he  sent  a  message — an  Irish  message 
— by  one  of  the  men  who  managed  to  see  him  a  mo- 
ment. "It  isn't  Bell  I've  got  it  in  for.  I'd  perhaps 
ha'  done  the  same  by  him.  It's  that  blackguard 
Feeney  I'll  drub  if  the  devil  doesn't  get  him  before  I 
get  back."  Devlin  had  had  some  reputation  as  a 
fighter  before  his  impromptu  match  with  Bell,  but 
the  whole  troop  saw  how  utterly  he  was  outclassed 


THE  GENERALS  DOUBLE.  35 

when  Bell  drew  off  his  gauntlets,  slung  them  in  the 
marauder's  face,  peeled  off  his  trooper  jacket,  and 
sailed  in.  A  straight,  clean,  scientific  hitter  was  the 
beau,  an  educated  hitter,  and  when  the  brief,  bloody 
battle  was  over  and  Devlin,  like  a  human  chopping- 
block,  was  borne  off  to  the  hospital  tent,  there  was  no 
man  present  who  cared  to  take  up  the  challenge.  Bell 
was  panting  a  little.  He  was  very  pale,  but  his  eyes 
were  flashing;  a  tiny  stream  of  blood  was  trickling 
from  his  under  lip,  and  his  white  fists  were  clinched 
hard.  "I  disturb  no  man's  belongings  in  this  troop," 
said  he,  "and  no  man  shall  touch  mine.  Some  of  you 
have  put  that  young  fellow  up  to  prowling  in  my 
saddle-bags.  If  they'll  dare  step  up  and  own  it,  I'll 
take  the  biggest  of  the  lot  right  here  and  now." 
There  were  some  glances  at  Feeney,  some  murmur 
of  applause,  but  no  takers. 

"Then  I  give  fair  warning,"  said  Bell,  "the  man 
I  catch  tampering  with  these  saddle-bags  of  mine 
will  get  a  lesson  he'll  never  forget." 

And  now  here,  once  more,  on  the  banks  of  the 
Potomac  those  saddle-bags  had  come  in  as  a  factor 
in  what,  for  the  moment,  promised  to  be  a  very 
pretty  quarrel.  They  were  all  hungry,  were  the 
men,  and  more  or  less  savage  as  a  result.  They  were 
more  in  mood  for  fight  than  frolic,  as  troopers  are 
wont  to  be  after  hours  of  jog-trot  on  empty  stom- 
achs. But  they  had  begun  to  fancy  the  "Duke"  in 
spite  of  themselves — in  spite  of  himself,  for  he 
courted  neither  friendship  nor  popularity.      They 


36  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

had  always  liked  Dixon,  and  knew  him  to  be  a 
plucky,  brainy  fellow,  with  far  more  prospects  for 
the  futiire  and  much  less  mystery  of  a  past  than  were 
Bell's  possessions.  In  all  their  number,  Feeney, 
probably,  was  the  only  man  who  would  have  thought 
of  stirring  up  strife  between  them.  Dixon  had  conie 
into  the  troop  only  a  week  ahead  of  Bell,  and  had 
won  his  stripes  within  three  months,  whereas  Bell 
stood  in  his  own  light  and  apparently  would  not 
have  them.  ]\Ir.  Hamlin  had  called  him  up  at  Har- 
rison's Landing  when  he  rejoined  after  three  days' 
duty  at  General  Kearny's  head-quarters,  and  told 
him  promotion  was  sure  to  follow  such  a  report  as 
Kearny's  cliief-of-staff  sent  in,  whereat  Bell  had  de- 
liberately told  his  squadron  leader  that  promotion 
was  the  last  thing  he  wanted, — it  involved  too  much 
responsibility.  All  the  same,  Hamlin  named  him 
corporal  on  the  way  to  the  Long  Bridge,  and  that  was 
the  last  he  saw  of  his  new  non-commissioned  officer 
until  the  provost-marshal's  people  handed  him  over 
four  days  later,  arrested  in  the  streets  of  Washing- 
ton without  a  pass  and  apparently  majestically  drunk. 
To  all  questions  as  to  his  regiment,  etc.,  he  had  per- 
sisted in  saying  that  he  belonged  to  the  New  York 
Seventh  (which  was  mustered  out  of  service  before 
first  Bull  Kun),  and  that  he  had  been  left  behind 
when  they  went  home.  But  the  provost-marshal's 
people  were  regulars,  and  some  orderly  riding 
by  recognized  Beau  Bell  of  Hamlin's  squadron, 
"Chickahominy"  Bell,  as  some  one  started  to  call 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  37 

him,  and  Beau,  erect,  dignified,  unabashed,  had 
begged  the  patrol  to  come  around  to  a  certain  stable 
and  permit  him  to  examine  his  saddle-bags  and  es- 
tablish his  own  identity.  Thither  they  escorted  him, 
and  found  his  horse  and  equipments  all  right.  Beau 
gravely  handed  out  a  ten-dollar  bill  for  his  care  and 
keep,  proposed  to  his  captors  a  joint  visit  to  the  bar 
at  Willard's,  where  he  would  gladly  set  up  the  cham- 
pagne for  such  charming  companions,  and  professed 
much  surprise  and  disappointment  at  their  refusal. 
He  was  perfectly  quiet  and  gentlemanly,  said  they, 
never  used  a  cuss  word  or  gave  the  faintest  trouble, 
only  he  did  want  some  champagne  despite  the  war 
tariff  then  beginning  to  soar.  Hamlin  received  his 
semi-deserter  with  official  sternness,  and  told  him  the 
corporalship  was  revoked.  Bell  promptly  thanked 
the  lieutenant  and  asked  if,  that  point  being  settled 
in  his  favor,  he  might  now  go  and  groom  his  horse. 
Hamlin  didn't  know  whether  to  be  angry  or  amused. 
He  concluded  that  Bell  was  an  original  who  would 
bear  watching.  He  had  only  recently  learned  that 
it  was  he  who  used  up  Devlin. 

Full  twenty  minutes  had  elapsed  since  the  arrival 
of  the  squadron  at  the  ferry,  and  still  the  clumsy 
scow  that  did  duty  as  a  ferry-boat  had  not  reached 
them.  The  river  was  not  so  low  as  to  make  fording 
a  comfort,  besides,  Hamlin's  orders  were  not  to  cross. 
Late  as  it  was,  weary  as  it  was,  the  day's  work  for 
his  command  was  not  yet  done.  All  he  asked  for  was 
a  quantity  of  coffee,  sugar,  bacon,  and  bread  which 


38  THE    GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

was  now  being  ferried  over.  His  men  could  cook 
their  own  supper  among  the  trees  along  the  south 
bank  and  be  off  about  their  business  before  moonrise. 
He  stood  impatiently  tapping  his  booted  foot  upon 
the  rock  at  the  shore  and  commenting  audibly  upon 
the  draggy  movements  of  the  ferrymen  when  his 
first  sergeant  again  approached. 

"Trooper  Bell,  sir,  asks  permission  to  speak  with 
the  lieutenant." 

"What's  he  want?" 

"I  don't  know,  sir.  He  said  he  preferred  not  to 
say  except  to  the  commanding  officer," 

"Well,  let  him  come." 

A  minute  later  the  Duke  stood  erect  before  his 
young  commander.  It  was  their  first  interview  since 
just  before  the  brush  at  Crampton's  Gap,  on  which 
occasion  Bell  had  begged  to  be  relieved  from  duty 
with  the  wagons,  where  he  had  been  kept  under  a 
cloud  since  the  Washington  episode,  and  permitted 
to  go  in  with  his  troop. 

"I  understand  that  the  squadron  merely  cooks 
supper  here,  sir,  and  then  rides  on.  May  I  have  per- 
mission to  take  my  horse  and  go  back  with  the  ferry- 
boat and  be  gone  three  days?" 

"Certainly  not.  Bell.  I'm  surprised  at  your 
asking," 

"Well,  sir,  I  can  bring  more  information  from 
that  side  in  three  days  than  the  lieutenant  can  get 
on  this  in  a  month." 

Hamlin's  eyes  looked  angry.     K^either  the  words 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  39 

nor  the  tone  were  such  as  he  was  accustomed  to  from 
his  men.  "You  speak  boldly,  Bell,  and  not  too  re- 
spectfully. One  would  suppose  you  knew  all  about 
my  orders.  How  do  you  know  what  information  I 
need?" 

"Because,  sir,  I  was  the  major's  orderly  all  yester- 
day and  last  night,  and  because  the  man  you're  look- 
ing for — isn't  on  this  side  of  the  Potomac." 


CHAPTER  II. 

An  hour  later  even  the  tiny  cook-fires  that  had 
been  glowing  along  the  southern  bank  were  smoul- 
dering into  ashes.  The  troopers  had  silently  re- 
mounted, men  and  beasts  weary  yet  refreshed  by  the 
bountiful  supply  of  rations  or  grain.  The  ferry  scow 
still  swung  at  her  moorings  from  the  Virginia  side, 
and  as  the  squadron  filed  away  into  the  darkness  of 
the  wooded  bank,  Lieutenant  Hamlin  stood  at  the 
water's  edge,  pencilling  some  lines  in  his  note-book. 
Then  tearing  out  a  leaf  he  handed  it  to  the  infantry 
officer  who,  with  a  file  of  the  guard,  had  come  over 
to  meet  the  troopers  and  inquire  for  news  from  the 
front. 

"I  have  signed  receipts  for  forage  and  rations, 
captain,"  said  Hamlin,  "and  have  written  a  brief  re- 
port to  the  commanding  officer  at  Frederick.  Will 
you  kindly  take  Trooper  Bell  over  with  you  and  pass 
him  back  should  he  return  this  way?" 

The  older  officer  hesitated  in  some  surprise.  "I 
don't  quite  understand,"  he  said.  "It  has  taken  a 
general  officer's  authority  to  pass  a  man  over,  so  far." 
And  he  looked  at  the  simple  shoulder-strap  of  the 
young  regular  in  some  perplexity.  Even  so  late  as 
the  second  year  of  the  war  there  were  volunteer  offi- 
cers who  thought  that  the  regular  knew  more  about 
40 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  41 

the  minor  details  of  service,  at  least,  than  the  lately 
commissioned  amateur.  Hamlin  saw  his  embarrass- 
ment and  smiled. 

"It's  all  right,  captain,  and  I'll  be  responsible. 
I've  written  him  a  pass,  and  I  have  no  superiors,  as 
you  see.  I'm  my  own  colonel  and  brigade  com- 
mander to-night.  Xow  I  must  ride  after  my  men. 
Bell,  report  to  this  gentleman.  Good-night,  cap- 
tain." And  with  that  he  turned.  The  German 
trumpeter  promptly  led  forward  the  reluctant 
horses;  Hamlin  swung  lightly  into  saddle  and  rode 
briskly  up  the  steep  incline.  "Dutchy"  got  his  foot 
in  stirrup,  as  his  own  horse  started  in  pursuit,  and 
went  clattering  after  his  commander,  clinging  to  the 
pommel  and  mane,  and  only  settling  into  his  seat  as 
he  disappeared  over  the  top  of  the  bank.  Then  even 
the  sound  of  hoof-beats  died  away  in  the  gathering 
darkness,  and  only  the  plash  of  the  water  broke  the 
stillness  of  the  autumn  night.  By  the  gleam  of  his 
lantern  the  infantry  officer  stood  poring  over  the 
scrap  of  paper  Hamlin  had  thrust  into  his  hand.  It 
read  as  follows:  ''I  have  given  Trooper  Bell  au- 
thority to  remain  on  the  north  side  and  to  visit 
friends  down  the  river  after  having  delivered  his 
despatches  at  Frederick.  If  he  should  not  be  back 
in  three  days  oblige  me  by  sending  a  squad  to  the 
Heatherwood  place,  a  mile  below  you,  to  make  in- 
quiries.   It  will  bear  watching  anyway." 

Twice  the  captain  read  this  missive  over,  and  then 
peered   into   the   gloom   in   search   of   Bell.      The 


42  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

trooper's  tall  figure  was  only  faintly  outlined.  He 
stood  there  in  statuesque  silence,  a  firm  hand  closed 
on  the  bit  of  his  uneasy  horse,  now  pawing  impa- 
tiently and  striving  to  see  what  had  become  of  his 
companions.     Finally  the  captain  spoke. 

"Come  this  way,  will  you?"  he  called,  hardly 
knowing  how  to  address  this  tall  cavalryman,  and 
Bell  silently  advanced  a  few  paces  and  again  stood 
at  attention,  his  horse  once  more  tugging  and  pawing 
and  switching  from  side  to  side,  yet  never  shaking 
loose  his  master's  hold. 

"You  are  all  ready  to  start?"  said  the  captain, 
doubtfully. 

"All  ready,  sir." 

"Then  I  suppose  you  might  as  well  lead  aboard." 

"After  you,  sir,"  said  Bell,  and  waited  until  the 
officer  had  stepped  across  the  hinged  staging  before 
he  followed.  The  boatmen  swayed  down  on  their 
rope,  the  stage  was  hoisted,  and  they  shoved  off 
across  the  placid  surface  of  the  stream,  all  dotted 
now  with  faint,  phosphorescent  night  lights,  the  re- 
flection of  the  peeping  stars.  Seeing  that  the  trooper 
remained  at  the  stern  of  the  slow-moving  boat,  pat- 
ting and  reassuring  his  steed,  two  or  three  of  the 
guard  ranged  backward  towards  him  and  began  their 
soldier  scrutiny.  The  captain  himself  turned  and 
listened.  They  were  men  of  a  far  New  England 
regiment,  serious-minded  fellows,  deeply  imbued 
with  the  solemnity  of  the  duty  which  had  called 
them  so  far  from  home  and  into  scenes  so  strange. 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  43 

They  were  but  a  few  weeks  from  their  native  hills 
and  new  at  campaigning,  and  this  was  not  only  a 
veteran  of  many  fields  and  a  cavalry  soldier  at  that, 
— a  something  strange  even  to  the  farmers'  boys 
among  them, — but  a  something  stranger  still,  a 
"regular,"  a  thing  no  one  of  their  number  had  ever 
seen  before  that  day,  and  that  some,  indeed,  had 
never  heard  of  except  as  wearing  a  British  uniform, 
and  being  drubbed  at  Concord  Bridge  and  Bunker 
Hill,  They  stood  somewhat  awkwardly  by,  closely 
watching  Bell  as  he  passed  his  hands  over  girth  and 
buckle  and  curb  and  rein,  and  then  rubbed  his 
horse's  legs  as  though  to  see  that  all  was  in  readiness 
for  a  night  ride.  There  was  sympathy  and  deep  in- 
terest in  their  gaze,  but,  though  all  were  eager  to 
question,  no  one  of  the  number  seemed  to  care  to  be 
the  first  to  speak. 

At  last  as  Bell  straightened  up  and  looked  about 
him,  first  at  the  nearing  watch-fire  on  the  northern 
shore,  then  at  the  night  lights  gleaming  aloft  in  the 
autumn  skies,  one  of  the  party,  a  farmer's  boy  who 
knew  whereof  he  spoke,  took  the  best  road  he  could 
think  of  to  a  trooper's  confidence,  and  diffidently  be- 
stowing a  friendly  pat  on  the  charger's  shoulder,  as 
diffidently  remarked,  "Look's  though  he'd  had  no 
loafin'  time  lately." 

"Devil  a  minute,"  was  the  laconic  answer,  but  it 
was  enough.  The  ice  was  broken.  The  others  drew 
nearer.  The  bearded  captain — a  school-master  at 
home — came  close  to  the  group.     The  stranger  had 


44  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

used  an  expletive,  and  thereby  established  a  desired 
fact, — he  was  not  of  superior  mould. 

"Been  fur  to-day?"  asked  the  first  speaker,  pres- 
ently. 

"Well,  not  so  many  miles  in  a  bee-line,  but  we've 
had  a  good  deal  of  dodging  and  prowling  and  scout- 
ing to  do."  Bell's  stomach  was  warmed  by  coffee,  or 
was  it  the  unexpected  nip  from  Hamlin's  proffered 
flask  before  the  start?  and  he  had  grown  affable.  He 
knew  these  fellows  for  recent  levies  at  a  glance. 
Their  uniforms  had  not  lost  their  gloss  or  buttons. 
Their  belts  and  buckles  and  cap  ornaments  were  un- 
battered,  and  few  old  soldiers  can  resist  the  joy  of 
adulation  from  the  new.  Well  he  understood  what 
else  they  wished  to  hear,  and  so  went  on:  "There's 
quite  a  force  of  rebel  cavalry  screening  the  enemy's 
left  flank.  He's  marching  south,  and  their  fellows 
are  well  out  this  way,  popping  through  the  gaps  in 
the  range  every  now  and  then,  and  we've  been 
stumbling  into  them  for  the  last  three  days." 

"Had  any  fighting?"  queried  the  captain,  chiming 
in  now,  as  interested  as  his  men. 

"Well,  nothing  to  speak  of,  sir,"  answered  the 
trooper,  facing  instantly  towards  him  and  bringing 
heels  together  and  hand  to  cap  visor  at  once,  a  some- 
thing that  afforded  the  officer  unspeakable  comfort. 
It  was  just  what  he  wanted  his  men  to  learn,  yet 
hardly  knew  how  to  teach.  As  for  them,  they  noted 
the  action  as  promptly  as  did  their  captain,  and  ex- 
changed quick  and  appreciative  glances.    Later  that 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  45 

night  they  were  showing  comrades  at  the  camp-fire 
how  the  regular  did  it. 

"We  lost  a  couple  of  horses  shot  near  Aldie,  sir," 
continued  Bell,  "and  left  two  rebs  and  one  of  our 
fellows  wounded  at  a  farm-house  under  the  heights. 
You  see  there  is  nothing  but  cavalry  over  there, — of 
our  side,  at  least,  and  not  too  many  of  us.  I  don't 
suppose  we've  three  hundred  all  told,  and  our  squad- 
ron's about  used  up." 

"Where  were  they  going  from  here?"  asked  the 
captain. 

"I  don't  know,  sir,  exactly.  Back  to  join  the  main 
body,  possibly.  I  suppose  we're  expected  to  cover 
all  this  front  out  here  to  prevent  their  coming 
through  the  gaps  and  appearing  suddenly  across  the 
river  opposite  you.     May  I  ask  your  regiment,  sir?" 

" — th  New  Hampshire.  We're  guarding  the 
ferry  and  the  bridges  along  the  canal  hereabouts. 
We've  only  been  here  a  few  days,  and  it's  pretty 
novel  work  to  my  boys.  I — 'spose  you've  been  at  it 
a  good  while." 

"JSTot  a  year,  sir.  That  is,"  and  here  the  trooper 
faltered  a  bit,  "not  a  year  in  the  cavalry.  I  saw 
something  of  the  first  month  or  two  of  the  mischief." 

They  were  nearing  the  northern  shore  now,  and 
could  dimly  see  that  a  little  group  of  shadowy  forms 
was  gathered  at  the  landing  awaiting  them. 

"We  had  an  idea,"  said  the  officer,  after  a  pause, 
"that  most  of  the  rank  and  file  in  the  regulars  were 
foreigners, — Irish  and  German, — uneducated  men, 


46  THE  GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

but,  excuse  me,  you're  an  American,  and  you 
haven't  lacked  schooling." 

Bell's  gravity  gave  way  to  an  amused  grin. 
"We're  every  kind,  sir,"  said  he,  without  answering 
the  hint  as  to  himself.  "Mostly  reprobates  like  my- 
self," he  added,  inaudibly. 

The  boat  came  slowly  grinding  upon  the  shelving 
shore,  and  horse,  trooper,  and  his  interrogators  all 
lurched  at  the  interrupted  way.  "I  presume  the 
lieutenant  showed  the  captain  my  pass  and  it's  all 
right  for  me  to  push  ahead  at  once,"  said  Bell. 

"It's  all  right,"  answered  the  officer.  "I  may 
have  to  explain  to  our  colonel,  who's  just  back  here 
a  piece  across  the  canal,  but  you  can  tell  him  what  I 
can't.  We'll  go  right  over  to  his  tent."  So  saying, 
the  captain  led  the  way  through  a  group  of  silent, 
but  inquisitive  soldiers,  dimly  visible  in  the  starlight, 
and  Bell  strode  after  him,  his  horse  following  at  his 
heels.  They  passed  some  scattered  tents,  a  brightly 
blazing  fire,  about  which,  standing  or  sitting,  or 
stretched  upon  the  ground,  were  a  dozen  armed  and 
belted  infantrymen,  one  or  two  of  whom  essayed  a 
half-sheepish  salute,  and  then  gazed  curiously  at  the 
captain's  convoy.  They  crossed  the  dry  bed  of  the 
canal  by  a  heavily  arched  wooden  bridge  and  came  in 
sudden  view  of  a  cluster  of  white  tentage  where  men 
were  whistling,  singing,  lolling,  or  skylarking  about, 
and,  passing  through  a  bustling  canvas  village,  fol- 
lowing a  necessarily  irregular  camp  street,  they 
halted  presently  in  front  of  a  large  and  more  preten- 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  47 

tious  tent  where  paced  a  sentrj  and  within  whose 
guarded  walls  could  be  heard  manly  voices  in  lively 
chat,  while  the  shadows  of  stalwart  forms  were 
thrown  upon  the  screen  of  its  sloping  roofs.  The 
captain  tapped  at  the  tent-pole,  and  evoked  no  reply. 
The  flaps  were  down,  so  he  pushed  one  aside  and  in- 
serted his  face. 

"Colonel  Clark/'  said  he,  "can  I  see  you  a  mo- 
ment?" 

"Hello,  captain!  That  you?"  answered  a  ringing 
voice.     "Come  right  in,  Frisby.     Come  in." 

The  instant  Trooper  Bell  heard  the  name  of  the 
commanding  officer,  he  stopped  short  in  his  tracks. 
The  instant  he  heard  his  voice  he  was  restored  to 
action,  sprang  to  his  horse's  side  and  thrust  his  left 
foot  into  stirrup. 

"I  can't  very  well,"  answered  Captain  Frisby. 
"I've  got  a  courier  here  whom  I  brought  over  from 
the  cavalry  party.  He  wants  to  push  right  on  in  the 
direction  of  Frederick,  but  I  said  he  must  see  you 
first.     Can  you  come  out  a  moment,  sir?" 

"Certainly,"  was  the  hearty  answer,  and  the  offi- 
cer came  striding  massively  forward,  the  tent  floor 
creaking  and  bending  beneath  his  weight.  "Where's 
your  orderly?"  he  asked,  as  he  threw  open  the  flap 
and  gazed  out  into  the  night.  Captain  Frisby 
turned  quickly  to  where  he  had  left  Bell  but  a  mo- 
ment before, — and  horse  and  rider  had  vanished. 

i^ot  five  seconds  later,  out  under  the  stars  to  the 
northwest,  there  was  sudden  shout,  challenge,  order, 
and  warning  all  jumbled  into  one. 


48  THE  GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

"Who  comes  there?  Haltorl'llfire !  Halt!  Halt!" 
And  then — Bang! 

All  to  no  purpose.  Far  to  the  northward,  spurred 
to  mad  excitement,  galloping  as  though  for  life,  a 
horse  went  tearing  through  the  gloaming,  reckless 
of  pursuing  shout  or  shot,  and  when  rider  Bell  drew 
rein  and  calmed  him  down,  and  wiped  his  own  heated 
brow,  he  muttered  malediction  on  his  luck,  listened 
a  moment  to  assure  him  no  pursuit  was  to  be 
dreaded,  then,  quitting  the  northern  road  and  rein- 
ing abruptly  to  the  right  as  he  came  to  the  first  cross- 
ing, he  once  more  urged  his  horse  to  a  lope  and  mut- 
tered between  his  set  teeth,  "J^ot  for  a  fortune — 
now." 


CHAPTER  m. 

The  bees  were  humming  about  their  hives  in  the 
old  orchard.  The  sun  was  sending  slanting  beams 
through  the  leafy  branches  and  painting  the  slopes 
in  shifting  patches  of  gold  and  green.  There  was  on 
every  side  the  drowsy  sound  of  buzzing  insect  life, 
and  from  below  the  languorous  plashing  of  waters. 
Away  off  to  the  northwestward,  beyond  the  broad, 
fertile,  hamlet-dotted  valley,  a  deep  rift  was  cut  into 
the  long  chain  of  blue  hills  that  stretched  from  north 
to  south,  and  from  this  rift  a  silver  ribbon  came 
winding  through  the  middle  distance,  joined  from 
the  heart  of  the  northward  valley  by  a  slender 
thread,  shining  and  shimmering  as  itself,  that  poured 
into  the  larger  only  a  mile  away  and  seemed  so  po- 
tent a  force  as  to  bend  the  great  river  in  almost  ab- 
rupt right  angle.  Aloft  the  vault  of  heaven  burned 
unclouded.  Southward  a  soft  haze  seemed  rising 
above  the  dense  groves  of  timber,  fringing  the  banks 
of  the  broader  stream  as  it  swept  towards  the  sea. 
Westward,  as  though  backing  the  barrier  range, 
heavy  masses  of  cloud  rolled  up  against  the  blue. 
Creeping  slowly  southward  along  the  smaller  stream, 
a  long  train  of  white  dots  seemed  on  its  way  towards 
a  thick  cluster  of  other  white  dots,  nestling  in  the 

timber  at  the  water's  edge,  while  parallel  with  the 

4  49 


50  THE  GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

broader  river  there  wound  and  curved  and  twisted 
the  long,  snaky  bed  of  the  old  canal,  ruined,  for  the 
time  being,  by  recent  raiders  in  Confederate  gray. 
Here  and  there,  in  the  timber  at  the  water's  edge, 
thin  columns  of  bluish  smoke  curled  upward  through 
the  tree-tops,  and  farther  away  across  the  valley,  in 
heavier  masses  and  from  different  points,  lazily  drift- 
ing smoke  clouds  thinned  and  finally  vanished  in  the 
upper  air.  Away  off  to  the  southwestward  there  rose, 
in  several  places,  between  the  eye  and  the  blue-black 
line  of  the  heights,  dull,  dun-colored  masses  of  cloud 
that  were  drifting  slowly  southward,  despite  the  fact 
that  not  a  breath  of  wind  had  rustled  the  forest 
leaves  since  dawn.  Down  in  the  meadow  under- 
neath the  slope  on  which  was  perched  the  orchard  a 
dozen  cows  were  drowsing  in  the  shade,  and  the  faint 
tinkle  of  bells  came  floating  like  far-away  music. 
Somewhere,  just  beyond  the  hedgerow  of  wild-rose- 
bushes, at  the  northward  side,  over  whose  tops  the 
roofs  of  some  barn-like  structures  could  be  seen,  a 
horse  had  been  browsing  but  a  while  ago,  for  the 
swish  of  his  tail  and  the  impatient  stamp  as  he  strove 
to  drive  off  the  winged  pests  that  hovered  about  him, 
and  the  occasional  h-r-r-r-r  that  told  of  equine  peace 
and  contentment  had  frequently  been  heard,  but  he, 
too,  seemed  to  have  lain  do^vn  somewhere  for  a 
snooze,  and  was  heard  no  more.  Over  across  the 
orchard,  on  its  southern  side,  a  venerable  wooden 
paling  was  peeping  in  spots  through  the  bushes  and 
shrubbery  by  which  it  was  well-nigh  hidden.     Here 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  51 

and  there  were  gaps  in  hedge  and  paling  both,  evi- 
dently utilized  in  by-gone  hours  by  animals  both 
two-  and  four-footed,  resentful  of  the  fact  that  no 
gate-way  broke  the  defiant  line.  Barbed  wire  was 
unknown  in  those  days,  and  the  gaps  stood  open  now, 
available  either  for  marauders  or  defence,  and  the 
stripped  condition  of  the  trees  too  plainly  indicated 
that  the  former  had  had  the  better  of  it  thus  far. 
Only  a  few  high-perched  apples  or  pears  remained 
to  tell  the  story.  Bounding  the  orchard  at  the  east 
was  another  hedge  and  paling,  and  a  dislocated  gate 
that  swung,  cat-a-cornered,  from  its  upper  hinge  and 
could  not  close  at  all  despite  the  persuasive  powers 
of  a  ball  and  chain,  and  through  the  yard-wide  gap 
of  the  gate-way  and  the  thick  foliage  beyond,  occa- 
sional glimpses  of  dingy  white  wall,  whiter  columns, 
and  one  green-latticed  window  were  had, — the  west- 
ward gable  end  and  southern  portico  of  an  old- 
fashioned  Southern  mansion,  one  that  unquestion- 
ably must  have  known  far  better  days,  and  that  now, 
like  nature  all  around  it,  had  gone  placidly,  con- 
tentedly to  sleep. 

For  over  an  hour  not  a  human  being  had  been  seen 
or  heard  about  the  barn,  out-houses,  or  orchard. 
Once  or  twice,  somewhere  down  along  the  old  tow- 
path  that  skirted  the  canal,  some  drowsy  voices  had 
been  uplifted,  and  a  big  hound  with  flapping  ears 
and  a  face  expressive  of  general  benevolence  had 
roused  himself  from  a  cool  bed  he  had  pawed  out 
under  the  bushes,  and  cocked  his  head  on  one  side 


52  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

as  mucli  as  to  say,  "I  wonder  who  can  be  fool  enough 
to  stay  awake  at  this  hour  of  the  day;"  then  as  the 
sounds  subsided  he,  too,  dropped  back  to  doze.  It 
was  long  after  four  o'clock,  so  told  the  mouldering 
face  of  the  old  sun-dial  on  the  lawn  in  front  of  the 
colonnaded  portico,  and  even  the  voices  down  along 
the  canal  had  drowsed  away.  The  shadow  of  the 
copper  arm  was  crawling  close  to  the  antiquated  V 
when  at  last  the  silence  was  broken.  Somewhere 
across  the  lazily  flowing  river  there  rang,  sharp  and 
clear,  the  report  of  a  rifle,  a  report  that  went  echoing 
down  the  broadening  valley.  Somewhere  down  along 
the  towpath  there  was  quick  stir  and  excitement,  and 
an  authoritative  voice  was  heard  in  brief  order,  "Fall 
in  the  guard!"  Somewhere  at  the  rear  of  the  man- 
sion a  door  slammed  aggressively,  and  a  feminine 
voice,  shrill  and  piercing,  was  heard  in  confident 
summons,  in  answer  to  which,  rubbing  his  eyes  and 
stumbling  sleepily  into  the  sunshine,  a  big,  burly 
negro,  clad  only  in  loose  cotton  shirt  and  trousers, 
appeared  in  front  of  the  wood-shed  and  humbly 
answered,  "Yeassum." 

"Miss  Belle  wants  that  horse  saddled  right  away." 

"Yeassum." 

"Don'  you  go  to  sleep  again  while  you're  'bout  it, 
now." 

"N'ome." 

And  then  the  hitherto  invisible  lady  advanced 
from  the  regions  at  the  rear,  tripped  briskly  through 
the  garden  at  the  west  side  of  the  house,  and  came 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  53 

with  a  vivacious,  bouncing  step  between  the  decrepit 
gate-posts,  dealing  a  contemptuous  kick  at  the  gate 
as  she  did  so,  and  once  fairly  in  the  orchard  poured 
forth  her  soul  in  song. 

It  could  not  be  called  a  musical  voice.  Neither 
in  style  nor  execution  could  she  be  considered  a 
pleasing  singer.  Her  lay  was  one  of  the  folk-songs 
of  the  ante-bellum  days,  descriptive,  as  were  most  of 
them,  of  the  matchless  charms  of  some  village  maid 
whose  early  dissolution,  told  in  most  pathetic  verse, 
seemed  the  invariable  penalty  attached  to  such  pre- 
ternatural gifts  of  mind  and  person.  Following,  as 
did  this  rural  ditty,  so  closely  upon  the  recent 
silence,  its  effect  was  intensified  upon  the  hearers, 
who  were  fortunately  few. 

"  'Twas  a  ca-am  still  night  and  the  moon's  pale  light 
Sho-one  soft  o'er  hill  a-and  va-ale," 

she  began,  and  the  old  hound  moved  uneasily.  A 
black  felt  hat  with  a  straggling  feather  in  it  loomed 
up  across  the  hedge  towards  the  south^  and  a  sun- 
burnt, fuzz-covered  face  peered  eagerly  through  the 
bushes,  but  the  girl  gave  no  heed.  She  was  walking 
rapidly  through  the  orchard  as  she  sang,  and  gazing 
expectantly  down  the  slope  towards  the  little  grove 
that  lay  close  by  the  water's  edge  to  the  west. 
Reaching  the  boundary  of  the  enclosure  she  stopped 
short  and,  louder,  shriller  than  before,  gave  voice 
to  the  chorus. 


64  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

"  Aw  Lillay — sweet  Lillay — dee-ur  Lillay  Day-ul, 
Aw  the  wild  rose  blossoms  awer  the  little  green  grave 
"Whey-ur  lies  sw-ee-eet  JAMay — uh  Dale." 

And  then  she  paused  and  listened,  and  the  fuzzy  face 
under  the  black  hat  at  the  fence  gazed  more  ear- 
nestly than  at  first,  for  the  girl  was  worth  seeing, 
even  though  she  couldn't  sing. 

She  certainly  was  not  more  than  eighteen.  She 
was  short  in  stature,  but  plump  and  round  and 
wholesome  as  a  ripe,  sound  winter  apple.  She  was 
erect,  and  she  moved  with  a  vigorous,  natural  ease 
and  grace.  Her  cheeks  were  rosy,  her  eyes  and  hair 
almost  jet-black,  her  lips  red  and  full,  and  her  little 
teeth  milk-white.  She  wore  a  loose  summer  jacket, 
open  at  the  round,  white  throat.  Her  skirt  was 
shaped,  after  the  fashion  of  the  day,  like  one  of  the 
beehives, — round,  inflated,  and  voluminous.  A 
broad-brimmed  straw  hat  dangled  upon  her  arm. 
Her  little  feet  were  cased  in  queer,  shining,  black 
silk  gaiters  that  laced  up  the  side  and  ended  ab- 
ruptly at  the  ankle.  Her  hair,  parted  in  the  middle, 
was  brushed  down  low  over  the  temples,  puffed  out 
over  the  ears,  and  done  up  in  some  kind  of  a  knot 
low  down  at  the  back  of  the  neck.  The  slanting 
sunbeams  dazzled  her;  she  shaded  her  eyes  with 
her  hand,  which  was  not  as  white  as  it  might  have 
been,  and  in  so  doing  revealed  a  plump  little  arm 
that  was  as  white  as  her  pretty  teeth.  She  was  an 
impatient  little  body,  as  any  one  could  see,  and  the 
man  under  the  black  hat  did  see,  for  she  stamped 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  55 

her  foot  on  tlie  wooden  bench  to  which  she  had  sud- 
denly mounted,  and  said,  "Botheration!"  most  em- 
phatically, and  then  when  it  looked  as  though  she 
were  just  about  to  begin  to  sing  again,  the  black  hat 
came  poking  through  a  hole  in  the  hedge,  the  fuzz- 
covered,  sunburnt  face  came  after  it,  and  finally  a 
tall,  slim  sprig  of  a  soldier  boy,  dressed  in  the  un- 
couth, single-breasted  frock  coat  of  the  early  war 
days,  straightened  up  and  strode  towards  her,  duck- 
ing under  the  lower  branches  as  he  came.  !Not  until 
he  was  close  to  her  side  did  she  hear  him.  First  she 
gave  utterance  to  the  beginning  of  a  squeal,  then 
switched  off  to  contemptuous,  even  indignant  per- 
sonalities. 

"Aw,  here  you  are!  I  thought  you'd  nevuh 
come.*' 

"That's  what  I've  been  thinking  of  you  for  a 
whole  hour,"  was  the  mild  response. 

"Well,  /  have  something  to  do,  I'll  have  you 
know,"  was  the  majestic  rejoinder.  "You  have 
nothing,  but  eat,  sleep,  and  make  believe  guard  a 
rotten  old  bridge.  Why  didn't  you  speak  when  I 
called?" 

"Didn't  like  to  interrupt  your  song.  It  was  real — 
splendid,"  said  the  tall  youth,  with  lavish  admiration 
in  his  eyes. 

"Well,  better  late  than  never.  Least  it  will  be  if 
you  do  what  I  tell  you.  What's  the  captain's  name 
down  at  the  bridge?" 

"  'Tain't  a  captain.  It's  the  lieutenant, — Ho- 
mans." 


56  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

"Well,  you  tell  Mr.  Homans  Madam  Heatherwood 
wants  to  see  him  before  sunset,  and  the  quicker  he 
comes  the  better,  and  don't  let  her  catch  you  in  this 
orchard  or  round  these  premises,  or  she'll  set  Patsy 
on  you  sure  as  your  name's — well,  what's  your  real 
name,  anyhow?  I  believe  you're  trying  to  fool  me. 
Who  ever  heard  of  a  man's  being  called  Reuben 
Pettingill?" 

"That's  my  name,  anyhow — prove  it  by  the  par- 
son any  time  or  by  the  muster-roll.  i!^ow,  aren't  you 
going  to  tell  me  yourn  ?" 

"Mine,  as  I  told  you,"  very  majestically,  "is  Miss 
Wad(icZ?.  Don't  you  dare  call  me  Waddle,  as  that 
horror  of  a  captain  did.  He'd  better  not  show  his 
ugly  face  here  again.  Our  young  man's  back  from 
the  wars,  I'd  have  you  know,  and  when  he's  here  no 
Yankees  need  apply." 

"  'Tisn't  your  last  name  I  care  for,"  persisted  Pri- 
vate Pettingill.  "That'll  be  changed  soon  enough, 
I  guess.  What's  the  first  name?  Kitty,  Patty, 
Sally?" 

"Sally — ^your  grandmother !  D'you  think  my  peo- 
ple had  no  sense  of  decency  when  they  named  me? 
You  cla'  out  now  and  tell  your  captain  what  Madam 
Heatherwood  said,  and  you  can't  fetch  him  up  here 
any  too  quick." 

Then  once  again,  sudden  and  sharp,  a  rifle-shot 
rang  out  across  the  placid  waters,  and  the  echoes,  as 
before,  crashed  away  down-stream.  The  girl  started 
nervously   and  anxiously   and  gazed   back   at  the 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  57 

house.  "Do  hurry,  Mr. — Mr.  Pettingill,"  she 
pleaded,  "and  I'll  tell  you  my  name  next  time." 

"But — Gosh  all  hemlock!  Say,  don't  run  away 
yet,"  he  begged,  as  she  started  as  though  to  leave 
him.  "I've  been  waitin'  all  day  to  see  you,  and 
maybe  they'll  shoot  me  dead  for  not  bein'  there 
when  the  guard  fell  in  a  while  ago." 

"Fell  in  what?"  she  asked,  and  then,  as  with  sud- 
den rejoicing,  "the  canal?  That  would  do  some  of 
them  good." 

"Fell  in  ranks,"  he  exclaimed,  cubbishly  trying 
to  seize  her  sunburnt  hand,  a  proceeding  which  she 
readily  defeated,  even  though  letting  him  come  dan- 
gerously near  success.  "There's  no  use  in  my  telling 
the  lieutenant  to  come  up  now.  He  knows  all  about 
your  having  wounded  rebs  in  there.  They're  both 
paroled,  or  exchanged,  or  something.  He  told  us 
fellows  all  about  it  two  days  ago.  They  can't  do  the 
Union  any  harm  laid  up  as  they  are,  but  the  lieu- 
tenant says  if  any  of  us  fellers  get  shot  over  yonder," 
and  with  a  nod  of  his  black-hatted  head  the  soldier 
indicated  the  opposite  Virginia  shore,  "we  needn't 
think  to  get  out  of  prison  to  be  cared  for  at  our 
sweetheart's  home " 

"  'Course  not,"  interposed  Miss  "VVaddell,  with 
pert  promptitude.  "What  lady  do^vn  South  would 
be  having  a  Yankee  beau  for  a  gift?  Fd  have  to  be 
hard  up  for  a  lover  even  here  before  Fd  think  of 
such  a  thing."  And  here  the  damsel  shot  a  sidelong 
glance  from  the  depths  of  her  saucy  eyes.     How 


58  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

much  could  the  fellow  stand,  she  wondered.  Not 
much  more,  apparently.  He  was  vexed  already,  and 
seriausly,  too,  for  he  turned  sharply  away,  dropping 
instantly  the  slender  wrist  of  which  he  had  just  man- 
aged to  possess  himself.  "VVas  he  going  to  leave  her 
like  that,  disenchanted,  disenthralled?  No  woman 
on  earth  could  stand  that. 

"Wait  one  moment,"  she  faltered.  "I  forgot 
another  thing  Miss  Heatherwood  told  me  to  say." 
But  Private  Pettingill  had  already  got  half-way 
back  to  the  hole  in  the  fence.  "Mr.  Pettingill,  don't 
be — silly.  /  didn't  mean  anything — Reuben,"  she 
continued,  and  the  Reuben  mollified  him.  He 
turned  with  rapture  in  his  eyes  and  came  striding 
back. 

"Say  it  again,"  he  said. 

"Say  what?"  she  asked,  in  wide-eyed  innocence, 
— "that  no  Southern  lady'd  have  a  Yankee  for  a 
gift?" 

Again  he  turned  from  her. 

"Or  was  it  only  just" — tantalizing  pause — 
"Reub-en?" 

And  before  he  could  reply,  "Bang!"  the  third 
time,  and  clearer,  sharper  than  before,  the  rifle-shot 
rang  out  beyond  the  river,  and  gazing  across  the 
stream  both  girl  and  soldier  could  see  where  a  faint 
little  patch  of  powder-smoke  was  sailing  aloft  in  the 
dense  timber.  Almost  immediately  another  voice,  a 
woman's  voice,  clear,  bell-like,  penetrating,  rose 
upon  the  air, — 


THE  GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  59 

"Laura!     Where  are  you?" 

"There,  now,  you've  made  her  come  hunting  for 
me.  You've  got  to  go.  Mind  you  don't  forget — to- 
morrow." And  with  this  parting  piece  of  coquetry, 
away  she  ran,  bounding  up  the  worn  pathway, 
through  the  ruined  gate,  and  out  of  his  sight.  Al- 
most at  the  same  instant,  too,  the  negro  came  forth 
from  the  stable-yard,  leading  a  tall  bay  horse 
equipped  with  cavalry  housing  of  the  United  States 
army.  The  dark-blue  saddle-cloth  edged  with  yel- 
low, with  the  regimental  number  in  the  corner,  was 
new  and  glossy.  The  bridle  and  breast-strap  were 
black  and  polished,  so  were  the  holsters  at  the  pom- 
mel. Even  Pettingill,  volunteer  infantryman  of  a 
few  weeks'  service,  knew  at  a  glance  it  was  a  cavalry 
officer's  horse  and  equipment,  and  suddenly,  as  the 
girl  would  have  started  round  to  the  back  of  the 
house,  the  big  front  door  was  heard  to  open  and  out 
upon  the  broad  porch  came  a  tall,  distinguished-look- 
ing officer,  and  with  him  a  tall,  graceful  girl,  whose 
eyes  were  upturned  to  his  in  silent  pleading  and  fare- 
well. The  sight  was  too  much  for  Laura.  She  turned 
in  her  tracks,  ran  to  the  end  of  the  house,  and,  barely 
exposing  half  her  pretty  face,  peered  eagerly  around 
the  corner,  saw  him  hand  the  darky  groom  a  douceur 
that  made  that  humble  servitor  bow  and  grin  and 
scrape  with  delight,  and  then,  bending  forward  and 
taking  both  the  slender  white  hands  of  the  tall  girl 
in  his  own,  the  officer  kissed  her  white  forehead, 
turned  suddenly  away,  sprang  to  his  saddle,  and 


60  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

rode  clattering  down  the  pebbly  drive  to  the  road 
below. 

"My  sakes  alive!" exclaimed  Miss  Laura  Waddell. 
"If  Captain  Tighlman  was  to  see  that,  wounds 
couldn't  keep  him  abed.  And  to  think  of  Belle 
Heatherwood  kissing  a  Yankee,  even  if  he  is  an 
officer!" 

Meantime,  Private  Pettingill  had  made  the  best 
of  his  way  down  the  wooded  slope,  and  presently 
found  himself  among  a  curious  knot  of  his  comrades, 
all  demanding  explanation  of  his  whereabouts  when 
the  guard  formed  a  while  before,  but  the  soldier 
parried  all  inquiry  by  saying  he  had  been  away  on  a 
mission  for  the  lieutenant  and  must  report  to  him  at 
once.  Another  moment  found  him  standing  before 
a  serious-looking  young  man  in  the  dark-blue  frock 
that,  but  for  its  brass  buttons  and  shoulder-straps, 
would  have  been  declared  the  coat  of  a  country  par- 
son, so  utterly  clerical,  so  totally  unmilitary,  was  its 
cut.  Leaning  against  a  tree  close  at  hand  were 
the  officer's  sword  and  belt  and  the  crimson  sash  so 
soon  discarded  when  once  the  wearer  fairly  took  the 
field.  . 

"I  was  asked  to  tell  you  that  Mrs.  Heatherwood 
wanted  to  see  you  up  at  the  house  before  sunset,  lieu- 
tenant," said  the  soldier.  "There  was  one  of  our 
officers  there." 

"One  of  ours?"  asked  the  lieutenant,  in  much  sur- 
prise. "When  did  he  get  there?  When  did  he 
come?" 


THE  GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  61 

"I  don't  know.  He  rode  out  not  ten  minutes  ago, 
down  towards  the  east.    He  belongs  to  the  cavalry." 

"And  we  have  guards  on  every  road,"  exclaimed 
the  lieutenant,  "Are  you  sure,  Pettingill?  Describe 
his  dress." 

"Just  like  yours,  as  far  as  I  could  see  from  a 
distance,  only  I  saw  the  yellow  border  to  his 
saddle-cloth  before  I  started.  Say,  here  he  comes 
now!" 

Surely  enough,  out  from  a  wooded  aisle  close  at 
hand,  at  easy,  quiet  gait,  came  riding  the  same  tall, 
stalwart  officer,  dressed  in  trimly  fitting  cavalry  uni- 
form. His  cap  with  its  crossed  sabres,  his  equipments, 
his  glistening  scabbard  and  hilt  were  all  as  handsome 
in  quality  as  his  dress  and  the  high,  well-made  boots. 
His  face  was  oval,  deeply  tanned  and  clean  shaved 
but  for  the  light-brown  moustache  and  imperial. 
His  blue  eyes  were  full  of  intelligence  and  fire.  His 
form  as  he  sat  erect  in  saddle  was  splendidly 
modelled.  He  looked  the  picture  of  the  officer  and 
the  gentleman,  and  his  cordial,  ringing  voice,  the 
moment  he  spoke,  intensified  the  pleasant  impression 
he  made. 

"Good-evening,  sir,"  he  said,  courteously  raising 
his  cap  to  the  young  commander  of  the  detachment. 
"Let  me  introduce  myself.  I  am  Captain  Belden,  of 
General  Hooker's  fetaff,  on  my  way  to  Harper's  Ferry 
after  a  mission  to  Washington.  I  heard  that  firing 
across  the  river  and  turned  back  to  ask  what  it 
meant." 


62  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

"I  don't  know,"  was  the  slow  reply.  "We  can't 
get  over  from  here.  A  boat  with  a  patrol  crossed  a 
mile  above  us  about  twenty  minutes  ago,  apparently 
to  hunt  up  the  cause.  The  second  bullet  came  right 
over  here  somewhere.  Our  men  could  see  no  sign  of 
the  fellow  who  stirred  us  up." 

"Odd,"  said  the  horseman.  "I  heard  three  shots,  I 
think,  and  turned  out  of  my  way  to  inquire.  I  knew 
you  had  pickets  every  few  hundred  yards  along  here. 
Well,  good-evening  to  you.  Oh!  would  you  mind 
passing  me  out,  as  some  of  your  sentries  are  vigilant 
and  suspicious  both?" 

The  infantryman  picked  up  sword  and  belt  and 
said,  "I  suppose  it's  all  right,  Er — will  you  come 
this  way?" 

At  the  outpost  the  corporal  of  the  picket  was  duly 
notified,  and  the  captain  passed  on  out  of  the  lines. 

"Beg  pardon,  sir,"  asked  the  officer  of  the  guard, 
"but  what  name  was  yours?  I  may  have  to  give 
account.    I  didn't  quite  catch  it." 

"Belden — Grosvenor  Belden,  at  your  service. 
Thank  you  a  thousand  times.  Good-evening,  lieu- 
tenant." 

"Grosvenor  Belden,"  muttered  the  lieutenant,  as 
the  trooper  rode  away,  "And  what  was  Grosvenor 
doing  at  old  mother  Heatherwood's?  'Now,  if  I 
weren't  new  to  this  business  1  should  say  a  fellow 
ought  to  show  his  credentials,  or  something,  riding 
away  from  his  regiment  as  he  is.  But  he  couldn't 
have  come  thus  far  without  being  overhauled  time 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  63 

and  again.  If  the  provost-marshal's  people  have 
passed  him  along  I  suppose  we  can." 

Instead,  however,  of  returning  to  the  main  body 
of  his  little  command,  the  young  volunteer  stood 
there  at  the  turn  of  the  country  road,  following  with 
his  eyes  the  graceful  figure  of  the  horseman,  as  he 
rode  easily  and  leisurely  away.  He  had  passed  out 
from  the  shade  of  the  grove,  and  the  golden  sun- 
shine, slanting  almost  to  the  horizontal,  poured 
forth  upon  the  soldierly  form  and  upon  the  power- 
ful, spirited  horse.  The  brilliant  steel  of  the  new 
scabbard  glistened  like  a  mirror  and  threw  off  daz- 
zling flashes  of  white  light,  and  the  lieutenant  won- 
dered how  it  was  that  this  young  gallant  should  look 
so  trim  and  spick  and  span  when  all  other  officers 
who  had  happened  to  pass  with  their  commands  were 
dusty  and  travel-stained.  Something  was  queer 
about  it,  but  he  couldn't  tell  what.  It  was  too  late 
to  question  now.  The  vanishing  horseman,  still 
riding  leisurely  on,  was  swallowed  up  in  the  shades 
of  another  grove,  three  hundred  yards  up-stream, 
and  at  last  was  lost  to  view. 

And  then  the  lieutenant  bethought  him  of  the 
message  brought  by  Pettingill.  Turning  slowly 
away,  he  went  back  to  his  tent,  left  there  his  sword 
and  belt,  and  then  clambered  the  wooded  bluff  across 
the  road.  The  path  was  old  and  worn,  the  ascent 
was  steep,  and  once  at  the  top  and  in  sight  of  the  por- 
tico, he  stopped  to  recover  breath.  The  sun  was  just 
ready  to  dip  behind  the  screen  of  the  distant  Loudoun 


64  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

heights,  and  the  shadows  of  the  fluted  cohimns  were 
thrown  far  across  the  eastward  lawn  and  the  pasture- 
field  beyond.  Above  and  below  many  of  the  win- 
dows of  the  mansion  were  open  to  receive  the  soft, 
flower-scented  air,  and  at  one  of  these,  on  the  main 
floor,  a  woman  sat,  a  woman  with  silvery  hair  and  a 
face  high-bred,  refined,  yet  worn  with  care  and 
anxiety,  if  not  with  illness.  Evidently  she  was  look- 
ing for  his  coming,  for  she  rose  at  once  and  presently 
appeared  at  the  main  hall-way,  beckoning  her  half- 
reluctant  visitor  to  approach. 

The  lieutenant  hesitated  a  moment,  cast  a  back- 
ward glance  down  through  the  thick  growth  of  tim- 
ber that  covered  the  steep  bank,  as  though  to  assure 
himself  that  all  was  well  with  his  little  camp,  then 
came  forward  to  meet  the  lady  of  the  house.  He 
raised  his  forage-cap  as  he  stood  before  her,  simply 
saying,  "You  sent  for  me,  madam." 

"I  did,  sir,  and  to  ask  a  favor  at  your  hands.  For- 
give me  for  referring  to  the  fact  that  the  officer  who 
preceded  you  in  command  was  here  so  long  as  to  be- 
come quite  one  of  the  family,  and  to  visit  us  fre- 
quently, and  now  that  he — Captain  Ainslie — is 
gone  we  feel  very  friendless.  I  know  we  are  neces- 
sarily objects  of  suspicion,  especially  since  the  battle 
and  my  boys  were  brought  here  wounded,  but  what- 
ever their  sympathies  and  mine,  we  are  disarmed, 
we  are  harmless.  My  son's  wounds  will  keep  him 
on  his  back  at  least  a  month.  My  nephew's  are  less 
severe,  but  he  has  given  his  parole.     We  can't  be 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  65 

very  dangerous,  can  we?"  she  asked,  with  an  ahnost 
tearful  smile,  looking  pleadingly  into  the  young 
volunteer's  troubled  face.  "You  have  your  own 
mother  at  home,  have  you  not?  Can't  you  fancy 
how  she  would  feel  with  you  brought  back  to  her 
roof  as  I  brought  my  boy  from  that  wretched  farm- 
house at  the  Gap,  and  if  our  soldiers  w^ere  keeping 
guard  over  your  home  as  you  are  over  mine " 

"Surely  our  guard  has  been  a  protection,  Mrs. 
Heatherwood,"  he  interposed,  a  little  stiffly. 

"In  many  ways,  yes,"  she  answered,  "yet  of  late  it 
galls — sometimes.  What  I  have  to  ask  is  such  a 
little  thing,  yet  it  means  so  much  to  us.  You  heard 
— those  shots  across  the  river,  did  you  not?  They 
meant  no  harm  to  you,  no  wrong  to  your  govern- 
ment, but  they  mean  there  is  news  of  serious  conse- 
quence to  us.  Laura's  home — my  niece's  home — 
was  over  there  towards  Leesburg.  Her  father  took 
up  arms  with  his  State  when  Virginia  seceded.  Her 
mother,  my  only  sister,  has  been  dead  many  a  long 
year.  Her  two  brothers  are  in  the  Confederate  ser- 
vice, in  the  cavalry.  The  old  home  is  abandoned  ex- 
cept by  faithful  family  servants.  It  is  one  of  them 
that  has  come  to  the  opposite  bank,  and  has  been 
striving  to  call  our  attention.  He  has  letters  for 
Laura.  You  may  read  every  line,  if  need  be.  He 
brings  us  tidings  of  her  home,  of  her  father  and 
brothers.  Surely  it  isn't  giving  too  much  aid  and 
comfort  to  an  enemy  in  distress" — and  here  flitted 
about  the  lines  of  her  mouth  the  same  sad,  pleading 

5 


66  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

smile — "to  let  that  poor  child  hear  from  those  she 
loves?  Our  boat  lies  down  there  under  the  willows. 
May  we  not  send  our  negro  over?" 

The  officer  hesitated.  "My  orders  are  strict,"  said 
he,  "to  allow  no  communication  with  the  opposite 
shore.  I  cannot  let  him  go.  I  could  not  go  myself; 
but  I'll  tell  you,  Mrs.  Heatherwood,  they  sent  a  boat 
over  from  the  post  a  mile  farther  up-stream.  They 
are  sure  to  find  that  messenger,  if  he  wants  to  be 
found,  and  I  will  go  or  send  up  there  the  moment 
we  see  them  coming  back.    Will  that  answer?" 

A  shade  of  deepest  disappointment,  even  of  deep 
distress,  swept  over  her  face.  "I  fear  not.  He'll 
never  give  his  letter  or  messages — to  your  comrades. 
Oh,  think "    But  her  plea  ended  abruptly. 

Again  from  the  southern  shore  rang  out  the  re- 
port of  the  rifle.  Again  the  echoes  went  reverber- 
ating down  from  bank  to  bank,  and  then  gave  way  to 
new  alarm,  for  fierce  and  sudden  the  crash  of  a  vol- 
ley of  musketry  woke  the  echoes  anew,  and  with 
blanching  face  Madam  Heatherwood  tottered  within 
her  threshold,  while  the  Union  officer,  springing  to 
the  bank,  went  plunging  down  the  steep  to  join  his 
men. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

Again  the  sun  had  sunk  behind  the  distant  jagged 
line  of  heights,  its  parting  rajs  thrown  aslant 
through  a  red-gold  haze  of  dust  rising  far  to  the 
westward  beyond  dense  groves  and  copses.  From 
somewhere  among  the  trees  up-stream  along  the 
Virginia  shore  a  heavy  cloud  of  blue-black  smoke 
had  risen  and  hung  awhile,  then,  drifting  away  be- 
fore the  slow,  sluggish  breath  of  the  coming  night 
wind,  had  given  place  to  eddying  volumes,  pallid 
and  gray,  telling  that  the  conflagration  had  spent 
its  force  and  that  there  was  nothing  left  to  consume 
within  the  ruined  walls  of  some  homestead,  sacrificed 
within  the  hour  upon  the  altar  of  the  god  of  war. 
All  along  the  banks  of  the  canal  bed  little  groups 
of  men  in  Union  blue  were  gazing  curiously  and  ex- 
citedly across  the  swirling  river.  Above  at  the  ferry^ 
and  here  underneath  the  wooded  steep  on  which  was 
perched  the  old  Heatherwood  place,  the  guard  still 
stood  in  ranks,  and  among  the  tents  of  the  !New 
Hampshire  regiment,  to  the  east  of  the  Monocacy,. 
Colonel  Clark  still  held  his  strong  battalion  under 
arms,  awaiting  further  development  from  the  south- 
ern shore.  Somewhere  over  there  opposite  Heather- 
wood,  beyond  the  thick  woods  at  the  sharp  bend, 

there  had  been  a  savage  fight  of  over  ten  min- 

67 


68  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

utes'  duration, — a  cavalry  affair,  undoubtedly,  for 
mounted  men  in  the  yellow-laced  jackets  of  Uncle 
Sam  were  even  now  twinkling  in  and  out  of  the 
forest  aisles,  some  leading  spare  horses,  some  aiding 
wounded  comrades,  some  riding  eagerly  down  to  the 
water's  edge  in  search  of  a  drink  for  themselves  and 
their  thirsting  steeds.  Up-stream  at  the  landing  the 
flat  ferry-boat  was  still  moored  at  the  Virginia  bank, 
and  several  of  the  patrol  recently  sent  across  to  in- 
vestigate the  cause  of  the  single  shots  were  seen 
slowly  returning,  leading  with  them  two  or  three 
men  in  dusty  gray,  men  who  limped  or  faltered  pain- 
fully, and  officers  on  the  Maryland  shore  were  curi- 
ously studying  these  groups  with  their  field-glasses 
and  commenting  on  the  situation. 

At  the  ferry.  Captain  Frisby,  whose  company  was 
of  the  guard,  had  unhesitatingly  announced  the 
Union  troopers  to  be  men  of  Hamlin's  squadron, 
the  same  that  appeared  to  them  the  evening  pre- 
vious, for  he  had  recognized  Hamlin  himself,  but 
who  on  earth  were  their  opponents?  The  yells  that 
followed  the  volleying  outburst  were  unmistakable, 
so  were  these  few  uniforms,  but  Stuart,  with  his  bold 
column  of  raiders,  was  believed  to  be  far  away  at  the 
moment.  Only  old  "Foul weather,"  as  the  troopers 
designated  the  field-officer  commanding  the  detach- 
ment of  Union  regulars  scouting  east  of  the  Lou- 
doun range,  was  supposed  to  be  in  that  section  of 
Virginia.  Yet  the  fury  and  volume  of  the  firing, 
brief  though  the  engagement  had  been,  and  the  en- 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  69 

thusiasm  of  the  enemy  as  shown  by  their  exultant 
yells,  were  proof  enough  that  Confederate  cavalry 
had  managed  to  force  some  gap  in  the  screening 
ridge  to  the  west  and  come  exploring  down  to  the 
very  banks  of  the  Potomac,  right  here  to  its  sharpest 
elbow,  almost  directly  opposite  the  mouth  of  the 
Monocacy. 

And  old  Foulweather  had  got  wind  of  them  only 
just  in  time,  too.  The  curtaining  ridge  lay  barely 
five  miles  away  to  the  west,  and  Leesburg,  where 
Bob  Hamlin  had  left  his  leader  on  the  previous  day, 
could  almost  be  seen  from  the  upper  windows  of  the 
Heatherwood  house,  nestling  in  the  heart  of  the 
beautifully  wooded  country  just  beyond  the  next 
great  bend  of  the  Potomac,  where  once  more  the 
majestic  river  swept  eastward  to  the  sea.  Foul- 
weather  was  a  weazel  who  slept,  when  he  deigned 
to  sleep  at  all,  with  one  eye  open  and  the  saddle  for 
a  pillow,  and  Foulweather  had  need  to  be  alert,  for 
every  hamlet  in  Loudoun,  Fauquier,  and  Fairfax 
Counties  teemed  with  active  sympathizers  of  the 
South,  women  who  had  given  husbands  and  fathers, 
sons  and  brothers,  to  the  cause,  and  would  have 
given  their  heart's  blood  as  well.  Men  there  were 
none  left  to  offer  old  Foulweather  battle,  but  he 
would  have  met  them  by  battalions,  single-handed 
with  his  own  old  squadron,  rather  than  a  group  of 
those  rural  Virginia  dames,  armed  only  with  their 
wits  and  tongues.  Somewhere  among  those  farms, 
hamlets,  or  stately  old  colonial  homesteads  there  had 


70  THE   GENERALS  DOUBLE. 

been  in  hiding  ever  since  Antietam  one  of  the 
boldest  leaders  of  Virginia  horse.  Slightly  wounded 
in  some  cavalry  aftair  of  outposts,  he  had  been  left 
behind  when  Lee  made  his  first  leap  into  Maryland. 
A  negro  bearing  letters  to  him  from  comrades  in  the 
First  Virginia  Cavalry  had  been  captured  by  Foul- 
weather's  scouts,  but  when  that  burly  leader  swooped 
with  his  squadron  on  Leesburg  and  surrounded  the 
home  of  the  young  gallant,  he  found  no  foeman 
worthy  his  steel,  and  his  ears  buzzed  for  hours 
through  the  vituperation  excited  by  his  unbidden 
call.  Foulweather's  temper  was  never  the  best, 
neither  was  the  court  language  of  the  old-time  dra- 
goon, and  he  said  things  that  made  Bob  Hamlin 
blush  for  him,  and  that  disgusted  his  occasional 
orderly.  Trooper  Bell.  Foulweather  had  gone  back 
towards  Aldie  with  most  of  his  force,  sending  Ham- 
lin with  orders  to  communicate  with  the  pickets  at 
the  Potomac  opposite  the  Monocacy,  and  then  to 
scout  the  little  valley  west  of  the  first  range,  for 
Foulweather  was  bound  to  capture  Captain  Fairfax 
if  fighting,  scouting,  or  searching  could  do  it.  And 
even  in  the  midst  of  his  schemings,  into  the  midst  of 
his  force,  in  fact,  Captain  Fairfax's  own  troop  had 
burst  through  Clark's  Gap,  swept  like  a  whirlwind 
into  Leesburg,  followed  their  guide  to  within  sight 
and  hail  of  Heatherwood  when  they  found  their  cap- 
tain no  longer  there,  and  then  had  been  met  and  grap- 
pled by  Hamlin's  squadron,  galloping  back  to  inter- 
cept them,  and  had  stemmed  and  held  and  fought  it 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  71 

like  men  until  enabled  successfully  to  withdraw, 
Bob  Hamlin  storming  and  old  Foulweather  swearing 
at  their  heels,  with  only  a  few  prisoners  to  pay  for  all 
their  trouble. 

The  sounds  of  strife  had  died  away  to  the  west. 
The  pursuit  was  feeble,  for  the  Southerners  were 
fresh  and  few  in  number,  the  Union  troopers  worn 
with  long  days  and  nights  of  scout  and  sleeplessness; 
their  horses,  too,  were  "leg  weary"  and  jaded.  When 
darkness  settled  down  and  the  ferry-boat  came  drift- 
ing over  with  its  cargo  of  wounded  prisoners,  officers 
and  men  intermingled,  as  was  the  fashion  of  the 
early  war  days.  Colonel  Clark's  New  Hampshire 
soldiers  swarmed  along  the  bank,  eager  for  details 
of  the  exciting  event.  There  were  nearly  a  dozen 
Union  troopers  shot  or  sabred.  There  were  only  five 
Virginians  in  their  gray  cavalry  jackets  and  gayly 
plumed  hats.  Four  of  these  were  sabred,  one  had 
been  dragged  by  a  wounded  charger.  All  were  suffer- 
ing, but  all  were  silent.  With  a  later  boat-load  came 
old  Foulweather  himself,  exhausting  questions  and 
threats  in  vain  effort  to  extract  from  the  prisoners 
information  as  to  whether  the  dash  had  been  success- 
ful, whether  Captain  Fairfax  had  indeed  been  found, 
rescued,  and  hurried  away  by  his  triumphant  men. 
The  Virginians  grinned,  partly  from  pain,  partly 
from  pleasure,  and  would  only  say  that  they  believed 
and  would  bet  the  result  was  all  that  was  hoped  for. 
They  couldn't  say  for  sure  their  beloved  captain  was 
actually  carried  away;   they  wouldn't  say  where  he 


72  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

was  in  any  event.  All  they  agreed  upon  was  the  re- 
mark, extracted  from  one  of  their  number,  "If  Cap- 
tain Fairfax  did  get  away,  you'll  know  it  inside  of 
twelve  hours,  sure  as  you're  born."  And  this  did  not 
comfort  Foulweather  in  the  least. 

An  ugly  man  in  his  talk  was  Foulweather,  as  has 
been  said,  and  he  was  the  madder  for  being  tricked, 
baffled,  and  outdone  by  that  little  troop  of  Vir- 
ginians. Knowing  every  bridle-path  and  rabbit- 
track,  these  natives  had  easily  evaded  his  patrols  and 
scouts,  had  taken  prompt  advantage  of  the  splitting 
up  of  his  command,  and  had  swooped  down  from  the 
heights  the  moment  he  and  Hamlin  had,  between 
them,  uncovered  the  ground  they  sought  to  pene- 
trate. Only  by  chance  did  Hamlin  get  word  of  the 
dash,  and,  wheeling  about,  had  headed  for  Leesburg 
at  the  trot,  sending  couriers  'cross  country  to  his 
superior,  urging  that  Foulweather  cover  all  the  roads 
to  the  Gaps  and  thus  cut  off  the  Confederates'  re- 
treat, while  he,  Hamlin,  attacked  them  in  front  when 
found.  He  found  them  several  miles  nearer  and 
many  minutes  sooner  than  he  expected,  and  got  a 
volley  before  the  melee  of  the  charge  that  followed. 

Hamlin  had  brawn  and  grit,  discipline  and  num- 
bers to  oppose  to  the  daring  and  enthusiasm  of 
Southerners  fighting  on  their  own  soil,  and  speedily 
bore  them  back.  But  when  he  had  them  fairly 
headed  for  the  Heights  again,  and  rejoiced  at 
thought  of  the  trap  into  which  he  was  driving  them, 
Iq!  Foulweather  came  lumbering  up  from  the  south 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  73 

to  join  in  the  pursuit,  having  followed  the  enemy's 
trail  rather  than  a  comrade's  advice.  And  so  the 
chance  was  lost.  A  single  troop  of  Virginia  horse 
had  dared  and  outwitted  three  squadrons  of  regular 
cavalry.  Xo  wonder  Foulweather  said  and  Hamlin 
thought  unpublishable  things.  But  while  Foul- 
weather  audibly  damned  his  luck,  Hamlin  silently 
damned  his  chief,  and  with  better  right.  One  thing 
was  certain,  Foulweather  had  not  found  Fairfax; 
the  Confederates  probably  had,  and  this  was  the  re- 
sult of  his  communication  to  Colonel  Clark  when  the 
two  detachment  commanders  met  as  the  tattoo  drums 
were  beating  along  the  Potomac,  while  up  on  the 
bluff,  at  the  Heatherwood  place,  two  hearts  were 
beating  harder  still,  those  of  Belle  Heatherwood  and 
her  patrician  mother. 

j^ot  a  light  was  visible  in  the  old  Maryland  man- 
sion when,  towards  ten  o'clock.  Lieutenant  Homans 
climbed  the  narrow  pathway,  piloting  a  puffing  and 
much-disgusted  major  of  Union  cavalry,  who  never 
appeared  to  good  advantage  out  of  his  proper  sphere, 
the  saddle.  Behind  them  trailed  an  adjutant  and  a 
brace  of  orderlies.  Once  clear  of  the  shrubbery,  the 
Xew  Hampshire  lieutenant  stood  well  out  on  the 
lawn,  pointed  to  the  ghostly  white  columns  of  the 
portico  and  the  dim  fagade  behind  them,  unbroken 
by  the  twinkle  of  a  solitary  candle. 

"You  can  see  for  yourself,  sir,  they're  all  gone  to 
bed,  and  I  don't  like  to  disturb  them  now." 

Foulweather  came  panting  to  his  side,  spread  his 


74  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

booted  legs  well  apart,  braced  his  gauntlets  on  his 
hips,  and  gazed.  Presently  his  adjutant  followed, 
a  tall  young  man,  who  seemed  out  of  place  in  the 
clerical-looking  frock  coat  of  the  day,  and  had  little 
of  the  dragoon  about  him  in  form,  face,  or  manner, 
and  then  the  orderlies,  and  all  stood  and  waited  for 
the  major  to  open  his  oracular  lips.  Foul  weather 
continued  to  breathe  hard  and  stare  about  him  a  few 
minutes,  and  finally  said,  "You  know  the  way.  Go 
and  knock  at  the  door." 

Lieutenant  Ilomans  drew  back  in  apparent  dis- 
tress. "Of  course  I'll  do  it  if  you  say  so,"  he  hesi- 
tatingly said,  and  it  was  evident  that  the  young  sol- 
dier had  been  too  short  a  time  at  the  front  to  learn 
much  of  the  realities  of  war,  "but  I  don't  like  waking 
people  up  who  have  had  so  much  trouble.  It  seems 
mean,  somehow." 

"It's  business,  all  the  same,"  was  the  gruff  answer. 
"I've  got  to  see  that  old  lady  before  she's  a  night 
older.     So  bang  away." 

For  a  moment  Mr.  Homans  looked  irresolutely 
into  the  grim  features  of  the  veteran  regular,  then 
slowly  turned  from  him  and  tiptoed  his  way  along 
the  worn  gravel  path  and  up  the  low  flight  of  steps, 
as  though  reluctant  to  make  the  faintest  noise  until 
compelled  to  wake  the  echoes  with  the  old-fashioned 
brass  knocker.  The  field-officer  slowly  and  bulkily 
strode  across  the  lawn,  and  then  with  his  eyes  upon 
the  dark  windows,  his  hands  braced  on  his  hips  and 
his  sabre  trailing,  he  again  planted  his  sturdy  legs 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  75 

wide  apart  and  awaited  results.  Behind  him  in 
silence  the  tall  young  subaltern  and  the  two  cavalry 
orderlies  ranged  themselves  and  listened.  The  night 
was  still  and  starlit.  Sounds  of  soldier  song  and 
mirth  had  come  floating  up  on  the  soft  night  wind 
but  a  few  minutes  before  from  the  camp-fires  up- 
stream, but  now  the  signal  for  lights  out  and  silence 
had  been  sounded  and  even  the  distant  bay  of  watch- 
dog had  died  away.  A  lone  whip-poor-will  earlier 
in  the  evening  had  piped  its  plaintive  song  from  the 
forest  depths  across  the  waters,  but  had  tired  of  its 
unsupported  eifort  and  apparently  dozed  to  sleep. 
Far  over  towards  Frederick  Junction  the  rumble  of 
heavy  freight  trains  could  be  dimly  heard,  telling 
that  the  rents  and  breaks  torn  by  Stuart's  raiding 
troopers  had  been  repaired,  and  that  supplies  were 
again  being  trundled  to  the  front.  Somewhere, 
closer  at  hand,  the  muffled  stamp  of  horses'  hoofs 
was  heard  on  hollow  wooden  flooring,  and  Homans 
whispered  explanation  as  they  climbed  the  path  to- 
gether. There  was  a  superannuated  steed  belonging 
to  the  estate  that  dozed  and  dreamed  about  the 
orchard  by  day  and  was  stabled  in  the  mouldering 
barn  by  night. 

And  just  as  Homans  disappeared  into  the  shadow 
of  the  portico,  still  tiptoeing,  the  muffled  stamp  was 
heard  again,  and  all  of  a  sudden,  as  though  in  eager 
answer,  or  equally  eager  inquiry  for  a  night's  lodg- 
ing, from  somewhere  over  among  the  dim  slopes  and 
night  shades  at  the  east,  came  the  shrill  neigh  of  a 


76  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

tired  horse, — a  sound  stifled  almost  as  suddenly' as  it 
began;  and  it  was  this  abrupt  stop  rather  than  the 
neigh  itself  that  caused  old  Foulweather  to  turn 
sharply  to  the  east,  mutter,  "Hullo,  what's  that?" 
and  then,  in  loud  stage  whisper,  to  call  to  Homans, 
"Hold  on!   hold  on!   don't  knock." 

Then  tiptoeing  in  turn,  the  veteran  picked  up  his 
sabre  and  hastened  over  the  dew-laden  turf  towards 
the  hedge,  dimly  visible  beyond  the  winding  car- 
riage-road that  circled  the  eastward  gable  end  of  the 
house.  Close  to  the  hedge  he  halted,  peered  over, 
and  listened  attentively.  Noiselessly  his  little  party 
followed  him,  Homans  coming  last  of  all,  and  by  the 
time  he  reached  the  others  the  sound  of  a  horse's 
hoofs  was  distinctly  audible,  and  that  horse  was  com- 
ing swiftly  up  the  road  that  wound  through  the 
groves  and  fields  rolling  away  northeastward  under 
the  shining  stars. 

"Follow  me,"  whispered  the  major,  as  he  turned 
quickly  towards  an  old  gate-way  that  stood  bowered 
in  vines  and  shrubbery  a  dozen  yards  away.  "We 
must  halt  that  fellow  as  he  comes  through." 

The  gate  stood  wide  open.  Not  for  months  had  it 
swung  on  its  rusty  hinges.  Beyond  it  lay  the  wind- 
ing road,  dark  and  sombre  and  overarched  by  luxu- 
riant foliage  only  just  beginning  to  thin  at  the  touch 
of  the  autumn  frosts.  Almost  like  a  huge  letter  S 
the  road  twisted  through  the  trees,  sloping  to  the 
level  of  the  northward  valley,  and  when  first  heard 
the  hoof-beats  came  from  the  outermost  sweep.  Now 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  77 

as  tlfcv  listened  tlie  coming  steed  could  more  plainly 
be  heard,  the  hoofs,  occasionally  striking  some  loose 
stone,  beating  on  the  second  curve  of  the  roadway. 
One  more  complete  turn,  and,  though  dim  and 
shadowy,  the  unlooked  for  visitor  would  be  close  at 
hand.  They  heard  the  hoof -beats  quicken  an  instant, 
as  though  responsive  to  impatient  touch  of  spur  or 
jerk  of  rein. 

"He's  just  at  the  turn  now,"  whispered  Homans. 
"He'll  be  here  in  a  second."  But  the  second,  ten 
seconds,  twenty  seconds  came  and  no  horse,  no  rider, 
no  further  sound.  !N^ot  fifty  yards  away  they  had 
plainly  heard  those  hoof -beats,  and  now  a  silence  un- 
broken by  even  rustling  leaf  had  fallen  on  the  night. 

"He's  halted  there  at  the  other  turn,"  whispered 
the  old  officer.  "Is  he  reconnoitring,  do  you 
think?"     Iso  one  could  suggest  an  explanation. 

"Keep  in  the  deep  shadows  each  side  of  the  road 
and  follow  me,"  whispered  Foul  weather.  "Not  a 
sound  now,"  he  continued,  and  out  through  the 
broad  gate-way  groped  the  little  party,  down  the 
first  stretch  of  the  S  to  the  northward,  around  the 
turn  that  bent  the  roadway  again  to  the  south. 
There  it  emerged  from  the  grove  and  lay  bordered 
by  slopes  only  sparsely  dotted  by  little  fruit-trees, 
and  not  a  vestige  was  there  of  horse  or  horseman. 
Bending  low,  Foulweather  struck  a  match,  and  the 
feeble  flame  suddenly  broadened  and  illumined  the 
roadway. 

"See!"  said  he,  in  excitement;    "see!    here  and 


78  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

here, — fresh  hoof-tracks  all  going  up,  not  a  sign  of 
one  going  down.  He's  left  the  road  between  this 
and  the  gate,  bj  God!    Where's  he  gone  to?" 

"To  the  barn,  most  like,"  said  Mr.  Homans, 
solemnly,  "There's  a  path  around  back  of  the  house 
and  a  gap  through  the  fence.  It's  shorter  than 
through  the  main  gate." 

"Lead  on,  then,  and  be  quick,  if  you  know  the 
way,"  was  the  old  officer's  order.  And  now,  follow- 
ing the  tall,  lanky  New-Englander,  away  went  the 
four,  silent,  excited,  alert,  Homans,  at  least,  with  an 
uneasy  feeling  at  heart.  Ever  since  his  coming  the 
place  had  been  free  from  marauders,  and  not  until 
to-day  had  a  mounted  officer  or  orderly  appeared. 
True,  there  were  pickets  on  every  road  leading  to  the 
quiet,  solemn  old  place,  and  current  rumor  had  it 
that  Madam  Heatherwood,  despite  the  espousal  of 
the  Southern  cause  by  every  able-bodied  man  of  her 
name  or  tribe,  had  powerful  friends  at  court  in 
Washington, — friends  whose  influence  with  the  War 
Office  had  placed  her  and  her  property  under  the 
protection  of  the  Union  arms,  even  to  the  extent  of 
giving  aid  and  comfort  to  her  stricken  son  and  his 
fiery  cousin  Tighlman, — friends  who  had  served 
with  her  gallant  husband  in  the  Mexican  War,  and 
had  vainly  sought  to  pull  her  boy  through  the 
scrapes  that  wound  up  his  career  at  West  Point, 
where  he  wore  the  gray  and  bell  buttons  only  long 
enough  to  get  grounded  in  the  soldier  art  and 
stranded  in  mathematics  and  discipline.     Camp  talk 


THE  GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  79 

had  it  that  "Little  Mac"  himself,  en  route  to  Cramp- 
ton's  Gap,  had  ridden  far  from  the  bee-line  to  say  a 
word  of  kindness  to  the  anxious  mother,  and  certain 
it  was  that  Colonel  Clark  had  received  strict  orders 
to  protect  her  household  against  stragglers  of  every 
kind,  even  while  remembering  that  her  roof  was  the 
shelter  of  Confederate  officers,  wounded  in  battle 
against  the  national  flag.  "Yet  here,"  said  Homans 
to  himself,  "a  horseman  comes  riding  in  from  the 
north  at  night,  and  has  taken  what  only  an  intimate 
could  have  chosen,  a  practically  invisible  by-path  to 
the  stables."  And  up  to  that  very  afternoon  no 
horseman  had  appeared  about  the  place  since  he  was 
placed  in  command  of  the  little  guard  under  the 
bluff,  not  a  week  before.  Then  came  that  handsome, 
distinguished  aide-de-camp  of  General  Hooker's,  a 
cavalry  officer  and  probably  a  regular.  Homans  had 
well-nigh  forgotten  him  in  the  excitement  conse- 
quent upon  the  rattling  cavalry  skirmish  over  on  the 
southern  shore.  And  now  there  came  another,  and 
one  who  must  have  had  authority  to  pass  the  pickets. 

Pondering  these  things  in  mind,  the  lieutenant  led 
the  way  up  the  winding  ascent  among  the  trees,  fol- 
lowing a  narrow  and  almost  unseen  path,  the  cavalry 
commander,  sorely  tired  from  his  long  hours  of  scout 
and  vigil,  panting  at  his  heels,  the  rest  stringing  out 
in  single  file  behind.  Through  a  gap  in  the  fence 
they  stumbled  into  the  barn-yard,  then  paused  to 
listen. 

Somebody  was  moving  about  in  the  barn,  and  a 


80  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

faint  light  was  shining  through  a  started  seam. 
Whoever  it  was,  he  had  come  at  least  five  minutes 
ahead  of  his  pursuers,  enough  to  unsaddle  and  stable 
his  horse,  for  before  they  had  fully  recovered  breath 
after  their  climb,  the  light  was  extinguished  and 
they  heard  the  barn  door  close. 

"Come  on,"  whispered  Foulweather,  as  he  plucked 
Homans  by  the  sleeve.  "I  must  see  who  this  is  and 
where  he  goes." 

Noiselessly  as  possible  the  party  pushed  on 
through  the  roomy  barn-yard,  Homans  leading  the 
way.  No  sentries,  either  by  night  or  day,  were 
posted  on  the  height  itself.  Homans's  little  detach- 
ment down  by  the  canal  kept  two  posts  occupied  at 
all  times,  one  of  them  at  the  southern  gate-way  to 
the  estate,  where  an  old,  almost  unused  road 
branched  off  from  the  main  drive  and  led  down 
through  a  thickly  wooded  ravine  to  the  edge  of  the 
canal.  It  was  by  this  route,  probably,  that  Ho- 
mans's mounted  visitor.  Captain  Belden,  had 
reached  him  that  afternoon.  But  the  drive  itself 
circled  around  to  the  north  through  the  grounds  of 
the  beautiful  old  estate  and  joined  the  highway  in 
the  valley  of  the  Monocacy  after  passing  through  a 
gate-way  at  the  northward  limit  of  the  Heatherwood 
possessions.  Here  a  post  was  maintained  by  the 
pickets  of  the  New  Hampshire  men,  and  these  two 
gate-ways  were  the  only  practical  approaches  to  the 
mansion  for  parties  either  driving  or  riding,  for  walls 
of  stone  or  high  picket-fences  surrounded  it  on  every 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  81 

side.  All  this  Ilomans  explained  in  whispered  words 
to  his  crusty  superior,  as  they  cautiously  approached 
the  big  house,  Avending  their  way  through  a  laby- 
rinth of  wooden  sheds  and  quarters  and  outbuildings 
until  presently  the  leaders  found  themselves  at 
another  fence  and  a  little  gate-way  leading  to  the 
garden  at  the  west  side  of  the  mansion;  and  there 
they  halted,  for  a  light  suddenly  appeared  at  an 
upper  window,  the  casement  was  thrown  open,  and 
a  slender  form,  a  graceful,  willowy,  womanly  form, 
leaned  out  into  the  night. 

"Who  is  it?"  they  heard  her  whisper  to  some  un- 
seen visitor,  shrouded  in  the  black  shadows  of  the 
house. 

The  words  of  the  answer  were  indistinguishable. 
The  low  voice  was  that  of  a  man,  an  American,  the 
intonation  that  of  a  gentleman,  and  all  was  evidently 
satisfactory.  "Open  quickly,"  was  all  that  the  lis- 
teners below  could  hear,  when  the  form  disappeared 
from  the  upper  window  and  the  light  came  dancing 
down  the  stairway  to  the  lower  floor,  gleaming  from 
window  to  window. 

"Who  was  that?"  whispered  Foulweather. 

"One  of  the  ladies,"  answered  Homans,  unwilling 
to  mention  names,  even  then,  and  struggling  with  a 
feeling  of  shame  at  the  idea  of  his  even  accidentally 
keeping  watch  on  a  womap's  movements.  Before 
the  cavalry  ofiicer  could  ask  another  question  there 
was  a  sound  of  sliding  bolts;  a  door  opened  at  the 
back  of  the  house,  and  there,  with  welcome  shining 


82  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

in  her  eyes,  despite  the  anxiety  in  her  face, — there, 
holding  high  aloft  her  candle,  stood  the  fair 
daughter  of  the  old  house  of  Heatherwood,  and  there 
sprang  up  the  steps,  bearing  on  his  arm  an  officer's 
saddle  and  housing,  a  tall,  athletic,  finely  built  fel- 
low in  the  uniform  of  a  captain.  The  door  closed 
behind  him  the  instant  he  was  admitted,  and  Foul- 
weather  turned  quickly  on  his  guide  and  grasped 
him  by  the  arm. 

"Did  you  recognize  that  man?  Have  you  ever 
seen  him  before?"  he  asked,  with  almost  fiery  eager- 
ness.    "Speak,  man,  quick!" 

"I  do,  yes,"  was  the  slow  response.  "I  saw  him 
to-day  for  the  first  time,  and  didn't  look  to  see  him 
here  again,  this  night  at  least." 

"But  his  name.  "Who  do  you  say  he  is?"  de- 
manded Foulweather,  and  ITomans  noted  with  sur- 
prise that  the  big,  gauntleted  hand  was  trembling. 

"AVell,  the  name  he  gave  me,"  answered  the  lieu- 
tenant, with  the  caution  of  the  New-Englander, 
"was  Grosvenor  Belden,  captain  on  General  Hooker's 
stafl:"." 

"And  he  was  here?  You  saw  him? — talked  with 
him  here  to-day? — you  could  swear  to  it?"  persisted 
the  veteran,  his  face  working  strangely,  his  grasp  on 
the  lieutenant's  arm  increasing  in  force. 

"Why,  certainly,  major,  if  need  be,  though  I  don't 
know  anything  out  of  the  way  about  him." 

"J^Tever  mind  that.  You  saw  him  and  talked  with 
him, — can  identify  him  as  the  same  man  we  saw 


THE  GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  83 

enter  here  to-night.  That's  what  I  want  to  know. 
You  can  do  that,  can  vou,  and  some  other  man  in 
your  command?  Did  any  one  else  see  him, — here, 
I  mean?" 

"Why,  yes,  sir,  Reuben  Pettingill,  of  my  com- 
pany, he  was  the  first  to  see  him  up  here,  talking 
with  Miss  Heatherwood,  just  before  the  captain  rode 
away,  just  a  while  before  the  firing  began  over 
across  the  creek,"  faltered  Homans,  fearful  now  of 
some  lapse  of  vigilance  to  be  laid  at  his  door,  and 
wondering  what  might  come  next. 

lor  a  moment  there  was  an  impressive  pause. 
Foulweather  was  breathing  hard  and  excitedly. 
Finally  he  spoke.  "Mr.  Wilson,"  he  said,  in  solemn 
tones,  to  the  tall  subaltern,  "I  expect  you  to  remem- 
ber every  word  of  this  and  to  keep  it  sacred,  to  speak 
of  it  to  no  one  until  called  upon  officially,  and  then 
to  bear  witness  that  you  saw  an  officer  enter  the 
Heatherwood  house  by  the  back  way  and  through 
some  understanding  or  arrangement  with  its  occu- 
pants, at  nearly  eleven  o'clock  this  night,  and  that 
Lieutenant  Homans,  officer  of  the  guard,  declared 
him  to  be  the  same  man  who  was  here  earlier  this 
afternoon  when  that  rebel  troop  of  cavalry  came 
down  right  opposite  here,  and  were  beaten  back  by 
my  command"  (Hamlin's  command,  thought  Mr. 
Wilson  to  himself),  "and  that  Mr.  Homans  declared 
the  officer  to  be  Captain  Grosvenor  Belden,  of  Gen- 
eral Hooker's  staff.  Remember  it,  sir,  and  be  ready 
to  testify  to  it  when  you  are  called  upon,  and  not 
before." 


CHAPTEE    Y. 

Another  October  day  had  dawned,  crisp  and 
sparkling.  The  slanting  sunshine  touched  the  frosty 
rime  that  coated  leaf  and  twig  and  homely  fence-rail 
and  distant  steeple,  and  tiny  fires  blazed  from  every 
surface,  yellow,  red,  and  blue,  like  the  flashes  from 
pigmy  brilliants.  Over  the  emptied  bed  of  the 
canal  and  the  shallows  in  the  stream  where  the 
waters  rolled  in  sluggish  flood  the  mist  rose  in  fleecy 
clouds,  while  the  little  cook-fires  in  the  clustering 
camps  above  the  sharp  elbow  sent  the  smoke  straight 
rising  towards  the  sky.  Down  along  the  worn  tow- 
path  at  the  left  bank  of  the  river  groups  of  men  in 
light-blue  overcoats  were  sipping  from  tins  of  soldier 
coffee,  and  nibbling  at  the  morning  hardtack,  while 
the  sound  of  jovial  chat  and  laughter  rang  cheerily 
from  shore  to  shore.  Up  on  the  height  at  Heather- 
wood  all  was  silence  and  inaction,  save  where  sentries 
were  slowly  pacing  up  and  down  in  front,  in  rear, 
and  at  the  flanks,  wondering  what  on  earth  it  meant 
that  after  midnight  they  should  have  been  routed 
from  their  blankets  and  set  to  guarding  premises 
where  the  only  guards  posted  hitherto  were  there  to 
warn  them  off,  and  what  it  meant  now  that  they 
should  refuse  egress  to  any  member  of  that  exclusive 
household. 

84 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  85 

Soon  after  sunrise  old  Foulweather,  refreshed  by 
forty  winks  of  sleep  and  as  many  drops  of  rye,  had 
ridden  half-way  up  the  road  with  Colonel  Clark  and 
held  brief  parley  with  an  officer  stationed  there  with 
a  guard  of  a  dozen  men,  and  received  assurance  that 
not  a  soul  had  issued  from  the  house  except  one  old, 
yawning  darky,  who  seemed  amazed  and  affrighted 
at  being  halted  by  a  sentry  in  blue  and  ordered  to 
explain  his  mission.  "Only  going  to  the  barn  to  feed 
and  water  ole  Mistis'  pet  ole  hoss;"  and  when  a  ser- 
geant escorted  him  thither  and  pointed  out  to  him  a 
second  charger,  an  active  little  bay,  eager  for  break- 
fast and  friendly  hands,  the  veteran  servitor  declared 
himself  unable  to  account  for  the  presence  at  all, 
and  swore  the  horse,  the  halter,  the  cavalry  blanket 
were  utterly  strange  to  him.  Questioned  as  to  the 
arrival  of  an  officer  during  the  night,  the  negro 
vowed  that  so  far  as  he  knew  no  one  had  been  there 
since  the  officer  gentleman  that  rode  away  the  pre- 
vious afternoon.  "Marse  Belden,"  he  heard  him 
called,  and  this  wasn't  his  horse  at  all.  All  this  was 
duly  reported  to  both  Colonel  Clark  and  the  cavalry 
field-officer,  between  whom  it  seems  there  had  been 
a  row  during  the  still  watches  of  the  night. 

Men  of  totally  different  mould  were  they.  Foul- 
weather  a  typical  specimen  of  the  old-time  Mexican 
War  dragoon,  or  later  rollicking  Rifleman  of  the 
Santa  Fe  trail,  steeped  in  traditions  of  the  frontier, 
a  fellow  who  had  known  no  home  but  camp  or 
bivouac  for  a  dozen  years,  blunt,  butt-headed,  inde- 


86  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

pendent,  hard  riding,  hard  swearing,  hard  drinking, 
with  stomach  copper-lined  apparently,  through  some 
occult  electro  process  that  coated  the  mucous  mem- 
brane with  the  metal  of  the  still  and  colored  his  bat- 
tered visage  with  the  hues  of  Monongahela.  Daring 
riding  and  swordsmanship  when  he  charged  the  guns 
with  Charley  May  at  Resaca  and  later  sabred  a  path 
through  the  Pedregal  had  won  him  the  notice  of  men 
like  Scott  and  Taylor,  a  commission  in  the  new  regi- 
ment of  Mounted  Rifles,  and  promotion  to  a  cap- 
taincy before  the  war,  a  war  he  fondly  supposed 
could  be  properly  handled  and  finally  won  only  by 
men  of  "the  old  service,"  irrespective  of  the  fact 
that  so  many  of  them  had  taken  sides  with  the  South. 
To  him  there  were  never  again  to  be  soldiers  like 
unto  Scott,  Worth,  and  Taylor,  Twiggs,  Sumner, 
and  Harney.  A  general  officer  in  his  eyes  was 
hedged  in  with  divinity,  until  he  saw  the  crop  of  re- 
cently appointed  one  wonderful  day  at  Willard's  in 
the  summer  of  '61.  If  such  specimens,  men  who 
never  had  set  squadron  in  the  field,  and  some  of 
whom  probably  never  would,  could  wear  the  sash 
and  stars  of  generals,  what  might  not  such  as  he 
aspire  to?  Foul  weather  applied  for  a  brigadier-gen- 
eralship of  volunteers  on  the  spot,  was  amazed  that 
he  didn't  get  it,  was  disgusted  to  read  of  dozens  of 
hitherto  unheard-of  citizens  who  seemed  to  have 
no  difficulty  whatever,  and  was  torn  with  jealous 
misery  when  the  honor  was  conferred  on  fellow-cap- 
tains in  the  line,  men  whom  he  had  known  as  sub- 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  87 

alterns  from  Palo  Alto  to  Buena  Vista,  and  later  on 
the  march  of  conquest  to  the  city  of  Mexico,  later 
still  in  long  weary  months  and  years  of  exile  in 
Arizona,  New  Mexico,  and  over  the  Plains.  He 
raved  so  rabidly  at  their  preferment  and  his  o\vn  re- 
tention as  an  humble  field-officer  that,  officers  and 
men  alike,  the  troopers  had  begun  to  speak  of  him  as 
"The  General."  As  for  his  real  name,  one  might 
have  served  a  year  in  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  and 
never  heard  it,  for  to  every  man  in  the  regular 
service  he  was  knowna  only  as  Foulweather,  and  the 
volunteers  were  not  slow  to  see  the  point  and  follow 
suit. 

But  a  stanch  old  fighter  was  Foulweather.  Kone 
could  deny  that.  It  was  his  luck,  however,  to  lead 
into  mischief  far  more  often  than  to  victory.  He 
was  perpetually  charging  stone  walls,  strong  posi- 
tions, heavier  forces,  and  only  getting  out  by  the 
skin  of  his  teeth.  He  was  simply  fun  for  Stuart's 
light-horsemen,  who  knew  him  well,  and  loved  to 
trick  him,  and  he  would  rather  be  riddled  following 

,  his  own  devices  than  ride  to  glory  on  the  advice  of 
another  man. 

And  now,  failing  to  nab  Captain  Fairfax  over  on 

/  the  Southern  shore,  and  learning  from  Lieutenant 
Hamlin  that  there  were  reasons  for  believing  that 
daring  and  popular  Virginian  had  managed  in  some 
way  and  for  some  purposes  of  his  own  to  run  over 
into  ^Maryland,  Major  Foulweather  had  come  to  im- 
part his  views  and  suspicions  to  Colonel  Clark;  had 


88  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

received  that  officer's  reluctant  consent  to  make  a 
personal  reconnoissance  of  the  Heatherwood  place, 
and  had  discovered,  as  he  believed,  evidence  that  a 
certain  prominent  and  distinguished  young  officer  of 
the  regular  cavalry,  serving  temporarily  on  the  staff 
of  General  Hooker,  was  holding  secret  communica- 
tion with  the  inmates  of  the  old  mansion,  while  they 
in  turn  were  in  direct  and  stealthy  correspondence 
with  the  enemy.  He  had  roused  Clark  at  midnight 
and  demanded  authority  to  take  a  company  of 
Clark's  regiment,  his  own  men  being  now  away 
beyond  the  Kittoctons,  and  rouse  the  household,  and 
had  run  upon  a  man  he  could  neither  blind  nor 
bully. 

A  typical  specimen  of  the  volunteer  officer  of  the 
best  class  was  Clark,  a  man  who  fervently  loved  his 
country,  feared  God,  hated  slavery,  and  clearly  saw 
that  the  triumph  of  the  South  meant  the  dissolution 
of  the  Union, — the  ruin  of  the  great  republic.  He 
was  a  student,  a  thinker,  a  patriot,  and  a  worker. 
He  had  inherited  little  from  his  father  beyond 
Yankee  grit  and  the  sword  he  wore  in  1812.  Self- 
educated,  Clark  had  supported  his  mother  and  sis- 
ters while  he  studied  law.  His  youth  was  one  of 
stern  self-abnegation,  his  young  manhood  of  patient 
toil  and  trial.  Not  until  he  was  nearly  forty  did 
modest  competence  come  to  bless  his  labors,  and  by 
that  time,  with  a  little  home  and  household  of  his 
own,  a  man  of  mark  in  the  beautiful  New  Hamp- 
shire valley  where  he  had  spent  his  years,  he  was 


THE  GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  89 

serving  in  the  Senate  of  his  State,  practising  law, 
and  looking  after  the  business  interests  of  some 
wealthy  clients  in  the  large  cities  who  had  invest- 
ments in  his  neighborhood,  when  Lincoln  was 
elected  and  the  South  took  fire.  Clark's  few  speeches 
in  the  Senate  that  winter  and  at  the  town  meetings 
when  the  news  of  Sumter  came  made  him  a  leader. 
But  Clark  held  that  example  was  worth  more  than 
precept,  and  he  enlisted  in  the  first  company  raised 
in  the  shadows  of  Monadnock.  They  elected  him 
captain,  and  he  refused,  saying  he  had  no  experience 
and  must  learn  like  the  rest.  Whereupon  the  com- 
mand was  tendered  a  veteran  of  the  Mexican  War, 
who  held  it  as  far  as  Washington  only.  Brains,  study, 
and  common  sense  did  more  for  Clark  than  war  ex- 
periences, or  a  reputation  for  them,  had  done  for  the 
original  commander.  The  Yankee  lawyer,  obser- 
vant, silent,  went  about  from  camp  to  camp,  watch- 
ing the  mannerisms  and  methods  of  the  officers 
whom  he  heard  described,  in  the  soldier  slang  of  the 
day,  as  "lightning."  He  looked  after  the  diet  of  his 
men,  the  police  of  their  camps,  the  care  of  their 
clothing,  shoes,  and  feet.  There  were  notable  drill- 
masters  and  tacticians  in  the  division  to  which  he 
was  assigned,  and  them  he  watched  and  followed, 
"Hardee"  in  hand,  hours  at  a  time,  then  went  back 
to  his  tall  Xew-Englanders  and  patiently  explained 
and  exhorted  to  them.  Before  ever  they  got  to  the 
peninsula  Clark  was  acknowledged  to  be  the  brainiest 
lieutenant  in  the  regiment.     The  colonel  had  a  spat 


90  THE  GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

with  his  adjutant  and  offered  the  place  to  Clark,  and 
Clark  said  he'd  do  the  duty  provided  he  could  stick 
to  his  company  too,  whereby  he  learned  the  ways  of 
both  offices.  Then  the  Mexican  War  captain  fell 
before  the  breastworks  of  Willard's  Bar,  a  vacancy 
was  declared,  and  this  time  Clark  did  not  decline  the 
captaincy  tendered  by  unanimous  vote.  At  Savage 
Station  the  untried  regiment  staggered  under  a  ter- 
rific fire,  and  lost  heavily  in  ofiicers  and  men.  Clark, 
shot  through  the  sword-arm,  led  on  with  the  other, 
and  though  seniors  stood  to  the  right  and  left  of  him 
in  the  battle-line,  it  was  his  voice,  somehow,  that 
steadied  the  men.  It  was  his  splendid  courage  and 
example  that  restored  hope  and  pluck  to  the 
blanched  and  bewildered  faces,  that  far  and  near 
seemed  to  turn  towards  the  bearded  leader  of  the 
Monadnocks.  Kearny  at  Seven  Pines  dashed  up  to 
him  on  foaming  horse,  spit  out  "the  reins  in  his 
teeth,"  and  held  forth  "the  one  hand  still  left," 
shouting,  "By  God!  sir,  what's  your  name?  I'm 
proud  to  have  such  a  fellow  in  my  division."  And 
so  when  Clark  went  home  more  seriously  wounded 
after  Malvern,  his  fame  had  preceded  him,  and  New 
Hampshire  sent  him  back  to  the  front  in  the  fall  of 
'62,  a  veteran  tried,  at  the  head  of  a  new  regiment 
that  bade  fair  to  do  as  well  as  did  the  old.  Given 
native  common  sense,  a  legal  education,  habits  of 
thought  and  command  and  one  year's  experience  in 
the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  and  the  possessor  was 
more  than  a  match  for  any  case-hardened  old  dra- 


I 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  91 

goon  whose  best  days  had  been  frittered  away  in  a 
desolate  land.  Foulweather  thought  to  carry  his  point 
in  one  impetuous  dash,  but  was  brought  up  standing 
in  the  initial  charge.  Then  he  started  to  storm  and 
swear.  Colonel  Clark  calmly  suggested  that  he  was 
talking  to  a  superior  officer,  and  would  better  con- 
serve his  own  interests  by  expressing  his  ideas  in 
courteous  language.  Clark  as  calmly  told  the  irate 
veteran  that  his  orders  were  to  permit  no  one  to  dis- 
turb Mrs.  Heatherwood,  and  that,  had  the  major 
knocked  up  the  household  at  night,  as  it  seems  the 
major  thought  of  doing,  it  would  have  been  his, 
Colonel  Clark's,  painful  duty  to  place  the  major 
under  arrest.  Foulweather  was  thunderstruck,  but 
had  sense  to  see  that  Clark  had  law  and  orders  both 
on  his  side.  All  he  could  persuade  the  colonel  to 
do  was  to  post  the  guard  about  the  house  with  in- 
structions to  allow  no  one  to  leave  or  enter  until  ex- 
amined, and  Foulweather  had  more  than  sufficient 
reason  for  desiring  to  nab  Captain  Belden  of  the 
Union  cavalry  in  just  such  a  predicament  as  this. 

Belden  was  a  man  beloved  in  the  army.  Gradu- 
ated from  the  Point  but  a  few  years  gone  by,  he  had 
risen  rapidly  to  a  captaincy  when  by  dozens  the 
Southern  officers  took  their  leave.  It  had  taken 
Foulweather  ten  years  to  get  his  double  bars,  but 
he  had  been  rushed  through  to  the  majority  within 
the  year  of  the  outbreak  of  the  war.  Belden  and  he 
both  commanded  squadrons  in  the  spring  of  '62,  and 
Belden  was  as  brilliant  and  successful,  despite  his 


92  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

youth,  as  Fonlweather  was  blundering.  Then  came 
an  untoward  incident  just  before  Gaines's  Mill. 
Foulweather  was  a  hard  hitter  and  hater;  Belden  a 
chivalric  foe.  The  former  believed  in  nothing  short 
of  annihilation  for  the  enemy;  the  latter  had  many 
a  friend,  classmate,  even  relative,  in  the  Southern 
lines,  and,  though  loyal  to  the  backbone,  dutiful  and 
devoted,  he  could  not  stomach  Foulweather's  descrip- 
tives  when,  one  evening  at  the  camp-fire,  Stuart's 
cavalry  were  under  discussion,  and  frankly  told  the 
major  so.  These  were  days  when  the  code  still  held 
good  in  the  old  dragoon  regiments  and  was  well 
recognized  throughout  the  cavalry.  Foulweather 
turned  on  the  younger  officer  with  personal  abuse, 
and  got  an  instant  and  stinging  retort.  A  veteran 
cavalry  colonel  promptly  stopped  the  quarrel,  but 
when  Belden's  challenge  was  borne  to  Foulweather 
on  the  following  day,  he  refused  it,  to  the  scandal 
of  his  fellows.  Then  came  the  mad  charge  at 
Gaines's  Mill,  that  emptied  so  many  a  saddle  and 
consolidated  four  squadrons  into  three,  and  there 
Foulweather  fought  and  swore  too  well  to  be  kept  in 
Coventry.  Belden  had  meantime  been  ordered  to 
staff  duty,  as  the  best  means  of  separating  them,  and 
the  matter  might  have  been  dropped  and  forgotten 
but  for  two  things, — one  was  Foulweather's  impla- 
cable jealousy,  and  the  other  the  fact  that  Captain 
Belden  had  later  been  ordered  to  Washington  to  ex- 
plain to  the  iron  War  Secretary  allegations  affecting 
his  loyalty-     He  stood  accused  of  holding  corre- 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  93 

spondence  with  certain  officers  of  the  Virginia 
cavalry,  notably  Captain  Fairfax  and  Ealph  Heather- 
wood.  It  came  just  in  time  to  knock  him  out  of  the 
colonelcy  of  a  crack  cavalry  regiment  being  raised 
in  Pennsylvania,  for  Stanton  was  inexorable.  In- 
deed, nothing  but  the  vehement  testimony  of  gen- 
erals like  Hooker  and  Kearny  saved  him  from  con- 
sequences far  more  serious,  for  the  cavalry  had  few 
friends  so  early  in  the  war.  Belden  had  known 
Fairfax  well  in  the  old  regiment,  had  met  him  and 
Ileatherwood  under  flag  of  truce  in  '61,  and  had 
met  them  cordially  for  reasons  he  would  stoop 
neither  to  extenuate  nor  explain,  beyond  the  mere 
statement  that  under  the  white  flag  soldiers  dropped 
the  sword.  The  "Iron  Secretary"  bade  him  go  back 
to  duty  and  remember  that  he  rode  with  a  rope 
around  his  neck,  and  Belden,  raging  at  heart  at  the 
injury  done  him,  nevertheless  had  to  confine  his  pro- 
tests to  calm  and  respectful  words.  Stern  discipline 
demanded  of  him  every  show  of  subordination  to  the 
inflexible  chief  of  the  War  Department,  who  refused 
him  all  knowledge  of  his  accuser,  but  Belden  felt 
beyond  all  doubt  that  Foulweather  was  the  man,  and 
longed  for  opportunity  to  redress  his  wrongs. 

In  no  happy  mood  this  gifted  officer  then  had  re- 
joined General  Hooker  in  time  for  Antietam.  "Only 
be  patient  and  attend  strictly  to  your  duties,"  wrote 
a  friend  at  court,  "and  even  Stanton  can't  be  proof 
against  such  praise  as  you're  sure  to  get,  but  he  has 
so  many  cases  of  disaffection  and  even  disloyalty  to 


94  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

deal  with  that  if  you  were  here  you  wouldn't  won- 
der." Belden  chafed  at  thought  of  the  loss  of  that 
splendid  regiment,  but  his  chief  consoled  him  with 
a  promise  that  it  could  not  be  long  before  there 
would  come  another  opportunity.  "Only,"  said  he, 
"keep  away  from  that — possibility."  And  when 
Belden  demanded  to  know  what  was  meant  by  "that 
possibility,"  the  general  gave  him  to  understand  that 
it  was  current  rumor  in  the  cavalry  that  he  had  been 
a  devotee  of  Miss  Heatherwood  while  in  Xew  York 
the  winter  before  the  war,  and,  to  that  fighting  com- 
mander's comfort  and  surprise.  Captain  Belden 
promptly  answered,  "General  Hooker,  I  never  met 
Miss  Heatherwood  in  my  life." 

And  so  it  happened  soon  after  this  time  that  Foul- 
weather  was  given  to  understand,  in  response  to 
urgent  inquiries  of  his  own,  that  his  application  for 
a  brigade  had  not  been  favorably  considered,  and  the 
story  went  the  rounds  in  the  old  regiment  that  the 
spectacled  monarch,  whom  few  of  the  officers  had 
ever  seen,  sent  for  Foulweather  as  he  passed  through 
Washington  and  gave  him  a  terrific  wigging  about 
something,  and  there  were  some  who  guessed  it  was 
because  of  baseless  reports  he  had  made  concerning 
Belden.  At  all  events,  having  injured  Belden  in  the 
first  place,  true  to  human  nature,  Foulweather  hated 
him  now,  and  prayed  for  a  chance  to  prove  his  words. 
!N'o  wonder  then  he  was  nearly  mad  with  excite- 
ment over  the  revelations  of  the  officer  of  the  guard, 
— that  Captain  Belden  was  actually  here,  here  at 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  95 

Heatherwood,    and   in    close    communion   with   the 
enemy  after  all. 

It  was  the  possession  of  this  piece  of  presumptive 
evidence  that  nerved  him,  therefore,  to  his  final  de- 
mand of  the  New  Hampshire  colonel. 

''You  have  treated  me  with  small  consideration  in 
this  matter.  Colonel  Clark,"  said  he.  "Your  rank  in 
the  volunteers  may  outweigh  my  fifteen  years'  ex- 
perience in  the  regulars  in  your  opinion,  but  when 
you  see  why  I  insisted  on  that  guard  you  will  change 
your  tune."  Then  turning  to  the  officer  who  still 
stood  at  the  roadside,  silently  wondering  what  was 
to  be  the  upshot  of  all  this  mysterious  posting  of 
sentries  and  questioning,  Foulweather  asked,  in  civil 
tone,  that  he  accompany  them  up  to  the  mansion,  as 
he  desired  to  see  the  new  arrival  on  important  busi- 
ness. The  lieutenant  hesitated  and  glanced  at  his 
colonel. 

"There  will  be  no  objection  to  your  doing  so  a  lit- 
tle later,  major,"  said  the  commanding  officer,  some- 
what coldly,  "but  as  I  think  I  told  you  last  night, 
Mrs.  Heatherwood's  household  is  under  our  protec- 
tion for  the  time  being,  and  I  am  ordered  not  to 
allow  her  to  be  disturbed." 

"That  means  robbed  or  maltreated,  Colonel 
Clark,"  out-spoke  the  major,  angrily.  "It  isn't  pos- 
sible that  the  Secretary  of  War  can  have  given 
orders  that  a  house  where  rebels  are  harbored  and 
where  treason  is  plotted  day  and  night  is  never  to  be 
inspected,  especially  when  at  this  moment  I  know  or 


96  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

believe  it  to  be  visited  by  an  officer  of  the  regular 
cavalry,  who  has  only  recently  been  reprimanded 
by  the  Secretary  himself  for  sympathizing  with  this 
very  family  and  other  prominent  rebels.  What's 
more,  he  has  been  warned  officially  to  keep  away 
from  there,  and  he's  here  in  direct  violation  of  those 
orders." 

But  Clark  was  imperturbable.  "I  happen  to 
know,"  said  he,  "that  the  Secretary  of  War  considers 
Mrs.  Heatherwood  a  woman  deserving  of  great  con- 
sideration, despite  the  fact  of  her  son's  being  in  the 
Confederate  service,  and  as  for  visitors,  only  one 
officer  has  been  reported  by  my  pickets  as  visiting 
Heatherwood  within  the  last  twenty-four  hours.  He 
bore  the  personal  order  of  General  Hooker,  whom 
he  started  to  rejoin  yesterday  afternoon." 

"Yes,"  said  Foul  weather,  eagerly,  "and  his  name 
was ? 

"Belden — Captain  Belden,  I  believe,  though  I 
had  not  the  honor  of  meeting  him.  It  seems  he  rode 
uj)  to  my  tent  just  after  the  fight  began  yesterday 
afternoon,  then  went  on  up  the  river." 

"The  very  man!"  exclaimed  Foul  weather, 
eagerly;  "and,  so  far  from  returning  to  General 
Hooker,  he  is  at  this  moment  under  that  roof,  and  I 
mean  to  prove  it.  Ask  your  pickets  at  the  main 
gate  who  it  was  that  rode  in  at  eleven  o'clock  last 
night,  and " 

A  sergeant  who  had  stood  silently  by  listening 
with  keen  interest  to  the  exciting  talk,  stepped 
quickly  forward. 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  97 

"/  was  there,  colonel,  from  ten  till  after  midnight, 
and  there  wasn't  a  soul  came  in  or  went  out  either." 

"I  was  on  the  bluff  yonder  with  Lieutenant  Ho- 
mans,  of  your  own  regiment.  My  adjutant,  Mr.  Wil- 
son, was  with  me,  and  two  orderlies,"  answered 
Foulweather,  angrily.  "We  distinctly  heard  him 
coming  up  the  road.  We  tracked  him  to  the  barn 
and  saw  him  enter  the  house,  and  your  own  officer 
recognized  and  declared  him  to  be  the  same  Captain 
Belden  that  passed  his  post  down  on  the  other  side 
of  the  place  yesterday  afternoon.  If  he  didn't  come 
through  the  gate  it  was  because  he  dared  not  be  seen 
by  the  guard,  because  he  came  by  stealth,  because  he 
knew  some  gap  in  the  fence  or  hedge  as  he  did  the 
secret  path  through  the  shrubbery,  a  short  cut  to  the 
barn.  I  tell  you.  Colonel  Clark,  that  officer  is  here, 
after  having  reported  to  your  guard  that  he  was  on 
his  way  to  Harper's  Ferry.  Send  for  Lieutenant 
Homans  if  you  need  confirmation,  and  I  demand 
the  right  to  call  him  to  account." 

For  a  moment  Clark  pondered  deeply.  There  was 
indeed  something  perplexing  in  the  situation.  Then 
he  spoke.  "I  will  ride  around  to  the  canal  and  ques- 
tion Homans,"  said  he.  "I  can  do  that  much  quicker 
than  have  him  come  here.  If  his  report  tally  with 
yours,  there  will  certainly  be  something  to  investi- 
gate in  Captain  Belden's  conduct,  but  not  necessarily 
in  Mrs.  Heatherwood's.  Will  you  ride,  sir,  or  do  you 
prefer  to  wait?" 

"I'll  join  the  officer  of  the  guard  in  a  cup  of  that 


98  THE  GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

coffee,"  said  the  major,  sniffing  eagerly  at  the  aroma 
that  arose  from  a  little  cook-fire  under  the  trees,  and, 
dismounting,  he  tossed  the  reins  to  his  orderly  and 
straddled  bulkily  away  over  the  tangled  turf  to  join 
the  squad  of  blue-coats,  that  welcomed  him  none  too 
cordially.  It  was  not  music  to  their  ears  that  an  old 
regular  should  differ  with  their  hero  and  com- 
mander, 

Not  five  minutes  after  Clark  had  gone  his  way, 
and  while  the  major  was  sipping  at  a  fragrant  tin  of 
the  comforting  fluid,  a  corporal  came  running  down 
the  winding  road. 

"Lieutenant,"  said  he,  never  pausing  for  cere- 
mony, "there's  a  cavalry  fellow  just  come  out  of  the 
house.  He's  raising  hell  because  we  won't  let  him 
have  his  horse." 

"Here,  orderly,  quick!"  called  Foulweather,  to 
the  trooper  who  stood  with  dangling  reins,  as  the 
horses  cropped  away  at  the  grass.  "Which  side  is 
your  cavalry  fellow?"  he  continued,  as  he  set  foot 
in  stirrup  and  swung  into  saddle. 

"West  side,  sir,  next  to  the  barn." 

"Come  on,  Wilson,"  called  Foulweather  to  his 
adjutant,  who  was  chatting  with  the  New  Hamp- 
shire officer  a  little  distance  away,  and  on  he  went, 
spluttering  up  the  pathway  through  the  shrubbery 
he  had  followed  afoot  the  night  before.  At  the 
barn-yard  he  was  overtaken  by  his  staff-officer,  and 
together  they  spurred  through,  twisting  and  turning 
among  the  out-buildings  until  suddenly  they  came 


THE  GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  99 

to  the  negro  quarters  in  rear  of  the  house,  and  there, 
looking  embarrassed  and  worried,  stood  a  tall  New 
Hampshire  lad,  in  the  dress  and  equipments  of  the 
sentinel,  holding  converse  with  a  tall,  trim  built, 
natty  looking  private  of  cavalry,  in  battered  forage- 
cap with  upturned  visor,  in  snug-fitting,  high-col- 
lared, yellow-trimmed  jacket,  in  light-blue  breeches 
and  well-made  boots  and  gauntlets,  with  black  belts, 
carbine,  sabre,  and  revolver,  a  McClellan  saddle 
and  bags  on  his  arm,  and  a  look  of  disgust  on  his 
face,  a  look  that  suddenly  gave  way  to  one  of  sur- 
prise and  dismay,  as  he  caught  sight  of  the  coming 
party. 

Instantly  his  heels  clicked  together,  and  he  stood 
at  attention  as  the  leading  horseman  came  trotting 
up  and,  after  one  astonished  glance  in  the  trooper's 
face,  exclaimed, — 

^'Bell !    Why, — what  in  hell  are  you  doing  here  f " 

"Here  by  order,  sir,"  was  the  blunt  response. 
"Came  over  under  instructions  .  from  Lieutenant 
Hamlin;  carried  them  out  and  got  others  at  Fred- 
erick last  night." 

"From  whom?    Where  are  they?" 

For  answer  the  trooper  calmly  dropped  his  load, 
rummaged  in  the  near  saddle-bag  a  moment,  and 
produced  the  pencilled  memorandum  Hamlin  had 
given  him  at  the  ferry.  This  the  major  took  in  his 
gauntleted  hand  and  glared  at. 

"Mr.  Hamlin  had  no  right  to  grant  this,  and  he 
knows  it,"  he  angrily  exclaimed.     "But  even  this 


100  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

gives  you  no  excuse  for  coming  here.  What  brings 
you  here,  I  say,  and  who's  here  with  you?  Where's 
Captain  Belden?" 

At  mention  of  the  name  the  trooper  perceptibly 
winced,  but  answered  promptly,  even  hurriedly.  "I 
don't  know,  sir.  I  haven't  seen  him  at  all.  I  heard 
the  captain  went  up  towards  Harper's  Ferry  yester- 
day afternoon,  but  I  was  up  the  Monocacy."  Then 
the  major  interrupted. 

"You  haven't  answered  the  question:  what  brings 
you  here?  That's  not  your  horse  in  the  barn. 
Where  is  he?" 

"Played  out,  sir;  and  I  got  a  farmer  to  swap  with 
me  until  I  could  deliver  my  despatches."  And  Bell 
was  again  at  attention  and  gazing  steadily,  sturdily 
into  the  major's  clouded  face. 

"Who  gave  you  despatches,  and  to  whom  were 
they  addressed?" 

"The  surgeon  in  charge  of  the  hospital  at  Fred- 
erick— to  Mrs.  Heatherwood." 

"And  you've  got  the  answer,  have  you?"  growled 
the  major,  suspiciously.    "Empty  those  saddle-bags." 

A  flush  spread  instantly  over  the  soldier's  troubled 
face.  "There  is  nothing  in  the  bags  that  is  not  my 
own,  sir,"  he  protested.  "There  is  nothing  you  have 
any  right  to  touch." 

"Well,  of  all  the  infernal  rot  I  ever  heard!" 
raved  Foulweather,  springing  from  saddle.  "Dis- 
mount there,"  he  called  to  his  orderly.  "You,  too, 
Mr.  Wilson.     Let's  see  what  devil's  work  is  going 


"  Drop  them,  sir,  instantly 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  101 

on  here.  Hand  over  those  bags,  sir,"  he  ordered  as 
Bell  seized  and  appeared  about  to  drag  them  away. 
"What!  Mutiny?"  he  cried,  for  a  furious  light 
glared  one  instant  in  the  young  trooper's  eyes,  and 
he  had  clinched  his  ready  fists  as  though  to  strike. 
"Drop  them,  sir,  instantly!"  And  at  the  word  the 
veteran  ofiicer's  revolver  was  whipped  from  the 
holster  and  pointed  square  in  the  trooper's  face. 

One  moment  they  stood  there,  a  dramatic  group. 
The  tall,  athletic  soldier,  pale  as  death  now,  w^ith 
beads  of  sweat  starting  from  his  forehead;  the 
flushed  and  angered  field-officer,  pistol  in  hand;  the 
sentry  perturbed  and  uncertain  what  he  ought  to  do, 
his  rifle  at  port  in  his  clinching  hands;  Wilson,  the 
lanky  subaltern,  hastening  to  his  senior's  side,  yet 
sympathizing  vaguely  with  the  soldier;  the  orderly, 
grasping  at  the  horse's  reins  and  staring  over  his 
shoulder  at  the  unusual  scene. 

"If  that  man  stirs  or  resists,  bayonet  him,"  was 
the  major's  stern  order  to  the  sentry.  "Wilson, 
search  those  bags." 

"One  moment,  major,"  and  from  a  corner  of  the 
house,  from  the  little  garden  at  the  west  side,  the 
words  rang  calm,  clear,  and  commanding,  and  Colo- 
nel Clark,  followed  by  Lieutenant  Homans,  came 
striding  through  the  gate-way.  "Pardon  my  remind- 
ing a  regular  that  sentries  take  orders  only  from 
their  own  officers.  You  have  no  authority  over  my 
men  whatever, — nor  on  these  premises.  Is  that  one 
of  your  men?"    And  at  sound  of  the  voice  Bell  had 


102  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

seemed  actually  to  shrink  within  himself.  Facing 
his  own  superior,  he  stood  now  wdth  his  back  towards 
Colonel  Clark,  and  his  head  was  sinking  into  his 
shoulders. 

"He  is,  and  I  arrest  him  as  a  straggler,  if  nothing 
worse.  Your  own  sentry  halted  him  here  coming 
out  of  that  house  not  ten  minutes  ago." 

At  this  moment  the  door  at  the  rear  of  the  house 
swung  ojjen,  and,  as  though  drawn  to  the  spot  by  the 
sound  of  angry  voices,  there  appeared  at  the  thresh- 
old the  form  of  a  woman  with  silvery  hair  and  a 
sweet,  wan,  refined  face,  at  sight  of  which  Lieu- 
tenant Homans  instantly  doffed  his  cap,  and  Colonel 
Clark  respectfully  raised  his  hat. 

"I  deeply  regret  this  disturbance,  Mrs.  Heather- 
wood,"  said  the  latter.  "This  gentleman  claims  to 
know  that  Captain  Belden,  of  our  cavalry,  is  here 
contrary  to  orders,  and  I  find  from  my  officer  of  the 
guard  that  a  gentleman  giving  his  name  as  Belden 
passed  his  post  on  the  canal  road  just  before  the 
skirmish  across  the  river  yesterday,  and  that  the 
same  officer,  or  one  closely  resembling  him,  entered 
that  door  at  eleven  o'clock  last  night." 

And  then  another  face,  witching,  saucy,  black- 
eyed,  and  rosy-cheeked,  peered  coquettishly  around 
the  woman's  shoulder,  the  black  eyes  dancing  from 
man  to  man  until  they  alighted  on  the  figure  of  the 
accused  trooper,  standing  almost  cowering,  his  back 
towards  them.     On  him  they  rested  in  perplexity. 

"No  gentleman  of  that  name  has  honored  us  with 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  103 

a  visit,"  was,  at  last,  the  dignified  reply,  jet  spoken 
in  gentle  tone,  "nor  do  I  know  any  ofiicer  of  that 
name, — in  either  army." 

"Then  will  you  explain,  madam,"  loudly  de- 
manded Foulweather,  stepping  quickly  forward  into 
the  group,  "what  it  means  that  one  of  my  men,  who 
ought  to  be  with  his  fellows  across  the  Potomac,  is 
captured  here — here  where  he  has  spent  the  night, 
and  what  business  he  may  have  bearing  messages  be- 
tween you  and  the  surgeon  at  Frederick?" 

The  instant  the  major  strode  past  him.  Bell  sud- 
denly thrust  his  hand  within  his  jacket,  drew  forth 
a  little  note,  glanced  quickly,  but  cautiously,  over 
his  shoulder,  and  saw  that  the  eyes  of  all  men  were 
fixed  now  upon  the  stately  mistress  of  Heatherwood. 
The  next  instant  the  note  was  in  fragments,  some 
thrust  into  his  mouth  and  swallowed,  some  tossed 
lightly  to  the  breeze,  some  ground  under  foot  in  the 
soil.  Then  up  went  the  hand,  and  the  visor  of  his 
cap  was  pulled  down  over  the  bright  blue  eyes,  the 
neck-handkerchief  was  dragged  up  over  the  yellow- 
laced  collar,  and  once  more  he  seemed  to  shrink 
within  himself. 

There  was  a  long,  impressive  pause  before  the 
lady  spoke.  Calmly,  almost  haughtily,  she  looked 
the  veteran  over  from  head  to  foot.  The  abrupt 
tone,  the  suspicious  manner,  had  angered  her.  When 
at  last  she  opened  her  lips  it  was  Clark,  not  Foul- 
weather,  she  addressed. 

"Any  questions  Colonel  Clark  may  deem  neces- 


104  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

sary  I  will  answer  at  any  time  he  desires.  May  I 
have  a  word  with  you  now",  colonel,  in  the  parlor?" 

"At  your  pleasure,  madam,"  answered  Clark,  bow- 
ing ceremoniously  as  though  in  rebuke  to  the  rude- 
ness of  his  associate,  and  then,  taking  Homans  with 
him,  marched  back  through  the  garden  to  the  front 
of  the  house,  leaving  the  others  to  settle  their  own 
affairs. 

For  a  moment  there  was  silence.  Then  spoke 
Foulweather,  pointing  to  Bell,  "Mr.  Wilson,  have 
that  man  taken  under  guard  and  turned  over  to  the 
provost-marshal,  at  once.  This  thing  must  be  inves- 
tigated." 


CHAPTEK   YI. 

A  STRANGE  feature  of  the  landscape  in  the  Vir- 
ginias, in  Maryland,  and  in  Pennsylvania  is  the 
series  of  parallel  ranges  rising,  as  a  rule,  higher 
from  east  to  west  until  half  their  number  is  counted, 
then  similarly  falling  away  to  the  west.  Without 
exception  the  trend  is  from  northeast  to  south- 
west, and  though  referred  to  comprehensively  as 
the  Alleghanies,  each  ridge  or  range  seems  to  have 
a  name  of  its  own  in  the  State  which  it  traverses. 
It  results  that  in  Maryland  and  Virginia  there  is 
a  series  of  parallel  valleys,  fertile  and  beautiful, 
each  one  drained  by  its  own  stream,  each  dipping 
gently  towards  the  Potomac,  wdiich,  as  the  col- 
lector of  the  entire  system  east  of  the  backbone 
of  the  mountains,  bursts  its  way  through  range  after 
range  and  finally  sweeps  on  through  the  lowlands 
in  majestic  flood,  one  of  the  lordliest  and  loveliest 
of  rivers. 

And  strange  confusion  arose  at  times  in  the  minds 
of  soldiers,  Northern  and  Southern,  due  to  these 
very  ranges  and  their  varying  names.  Looking  west- 
ward from  the  battle-fields  around  Manassas  or  the 
camps  in  front  of  Washington,  the  first  range,  low 
and  heavily  wooded,  was  known  as  the  "Bull  Kun 
Mountains"  below  Aldie  and  as  the  "Kittoctans" 

105 


106        THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

above.  From  the  head-waters  of  the  Rappahannock, 
back  of  Warrenton,  to  the  Potomac  west  of  the  sharp 
elbow  opposite  the  mouth  of  the  Monocacy,  this  cur- 
tain was,  until  the  last  winter  of  the  war,  a  perennial 
screen  for  cavalry.  The  valley  between  the  Bull 
Run  Mountains  and  the  Blue  Ridge  was  a  raiding 
ground  for  bodies  of  horse,  Union  or  Southern,  year 
after  year,  and  fast  and  furious  were  the  cavalry 
battles  fought  from  time  to  time  along  those  pictu- 
resque slopes.  Aldie,  Upperville,  and  the  numerous 
Gaps — Thoroughfare,  Hopewell,  and  Clark's  in  the 
first  range,  Manassas,  Ashby's,  and  Snicker's  in  the 
second — were  perpetually  being  traversed  by 
troopers  from  one  army  or  the  other.  Sometimes  the 
advantage  of  numbers  lay  with  the  jSTorth,  some- 
times with  the  South.  At  all  times  the  advantage  of 
knowing  every  inch  of  the  ground  and  being  at  home 
in  every  hanilet  lay  with  the  Virginians  and  their 
fellows  from  below.  At  no  time  could  the  ISTorthern 
horse  rely  on  information  given  by  the  people,  for 
even  the  negroes  often  turned  out  to  be  more  de- 
voted to  the  interests  of  "Ole  Marse"  or  "Mistis" 
than  to  their  own.  The  very  first  essay  of  Northern 
arms  along  the  Potomac  at  the  foot  of  the  first  of 
the  ranges  resulted  in  fell  disaster,  despite  the  fact 
that  the  best  blood  and  brawn  of  the  old  Bay  State 
was  landed  there  in  little  boat-loads  and  dribbled 
out  to  the  triumphant  foe  in  costly  sacrifice.  Look- 
ing southwest  from  the  Heatherwood  height,  the 
majestic  river  rolled  away  between  its  wooded  shores 


TEE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  107 

until,  some  seven  miles  distant,  it  began  again  to 
bend  to  the  eastward  at  the  foot  of  a  steep  bluff. 
Midway  across  to  the  Maryland  shore  lay  Harrison's 
Island,  and  there  on  the  open  summit  of  the  bluff 
chosen  detachments  of  the  finest  commands  ever 
even  Massachusetts  had  sent  to  the  front,  backed  by 
portions  of  the  so-called  "Tammany"  and  "Cali- 
fornia" regiments,  were  marshalled  in  line  of  battle 
to  be  shot  down  in  scores  by  an  overpowering  force 
of  the  enemy  encircling  them  in  the  surrounding 
woods,  while  from  the  Maryland  shore,  a  mile  away, 
raging  comrades  looked  helplessly  on.  For  weeks  the 
homes  of  Leesburg  and  the  farm-houses  of  the  neigh- 
borhood were  filled  with  wounded,  and  the  triumph 
and  rejoicing,  following  such  unlooked  for  victory, 
were  tempered  by  the  sight  of  suffering  such  as  the 
kindly  people  had  never  known  before.  And  among 
those  who  hastened  to  succor  the  Southern  boys 
stricken  in  the  fight,  but  whose  tender  hearts 
speedily  led  them  to  give  comfort  to  boys  as  gently 
reared  as  their  own,  now  helpless  and  suffering,  was 
"Madam  Heather  wood,"  who  had  left  her  winter 
home  in  Baltimore  and  taken  up  her  abode  in  the  old 
mansion  on  the  Potomac.  With  friends  and  rela- 
tives in  Leesburg  and  Aldie,  as  well  as  on  the  Mary- 
land side,  this  Christian  woman  had  never  ceased 
her  labors  for  the  wounded  and  the  dying.  And 
among  the  wounded,  as  luck  would  have  it,  was  a 
Pennsylvania  officer  whose  name  carried  weight  in 
Washington,  and  the  story  he  told  when  he  was  ex- 


108        THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

changed  and  sent  back  to  the  capital  five  months 
after  the  catastrophe  at  Ball's  Bluff  brought  tears  to 
the  eyes  of  the  President  himself  and  a  letter  from 
him  to  the  mistress  of  Heatherwood,  and  orders  to 
the  officers  commanding  at  the  Monocacy  that  they 
read  in  some  cases  with  perplexity  but  in  no  case 
dared  to  disobey.  Clark,  brigaded  for  a  brief  time 
with  the  Massachusetts  regiments,  heard  tales  of  the 
lady  of  Heatherwood  that  taught  him  to  revere  her 
name  before  ever  it  fell  to  his  lot  to  be  sent  to  guard 
her  doors,  and  Clark  needed  no  stern  order  over  the 
signature  of  the  "Iron  Secretary,"  much  less  an  ex- 
planation for  the  fact  that,  at  her  own  home,  under 
her  own  roof,  Mrs.  Heatherwood  was  permitted  to 
nurse  and  care  for  her  own  boy  and  a  kinsman 
wounded  on  the  slopes  of  South  Mountain  when 
McClellan's  men  fought  their  way  through  to  the 
later  grapple  at  Antietam. 

But  these  were  matters  that  old  Foulweather  knew 
little  of.  Leaving  Trooper  Bell  a  prisoner  under 
charges  to  be  taken  to  Harper's  Ferry  or  Frederick, 
as  the  provost-marshal  at  Point  of  Kocks  might  di- 
rect, he  had  recrossed  the  river  immediately  after 
and  set  out  in  search  of  his  squadrons,  which  he 
found  in  bivouac  over  in  the  valley  beyond  Clark's 
Gap.  To  the  west  lay  the  lofty  buttresses  of  the 
Loudoun  Heights,  which,  torn  in  twain  by  the  Po- 
tomac a  few  miles  farther  north,  were  still  further 
divided  on  the  Maryland  shore  by  a  deep  rift  that 
ran  north  and  south.     They  called  them  the  Mary- 


THE  GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  109 

land  Heights  just  opposite  Harper's  Ferrj,  but  these 
became  the  South  Mountain  a  few  miles  below,  and 
then,  still  farther  east  of  this  latter  range  and  north 
of  the  Potomac,  the  valley  was  drained  by  a  little 
stream  flowing  south  into  the  great  river.  East  of 
the  range  and  south  of  the  Potomac  the  valley  was 
drained  by  a  little  stream  flowing  north.  The  one 
in  Maryland  they  spelled  Catoctin,  the  one  in  Vir- 
ginia they  called,  and  usually  spelled,  Kittoctan. 
East  of  these  streams  on  the  Maryland  side  the 
heights  which  hemmed  the  valley  were  called  Catoc- 
tin; east  of  the  valley  on  the  Virginia  side  they 
called  them  Catoctin  too,  as  some  did  the  stream  on 
its  west,  and  thereby  hangs  another  tale. 

Foul  weather  had  rejoined,  mad  as  a  hornet.  He 
had  lost  Fairfax  after  bragging  that  he  had  him 
sure.  He  had  lost  Belden  after  vowing  that  he  had 
him  sure.  He  had  lost  his  battle  with  Clark  after  as- 
suming to  give  orders  to  Clark's  sentry,  which  he 
had  no  right  whatever  to  do  and  knew  he  had  no 
right,  but  presumed  on  his  own  assurance  and  the 
probable  ignorance  of  raw  troops;  and  finally,  he 
had  lost  his  temper  and  been  caught  in  the  act.  He 
was  in  no  mood,  therefore,  to  dispassionately  con- 
sider the  situation.  He  found  despatches  calling 
for  reports  as  to  what  he  had  done,  explanations  as  to 
what  he  had  not  done,  and  reasons  why  he  did  not 
do  things  that  seemed  impossible.  This  did  not  add 
to  his  serenity. 

Short  as  he  was  of  officers,  he  had  two,   at  all 


110  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

events,  whose  counsel  was  worth  taking  at  any  time, 
and  one  of  these  was  Hamlin,  but  at  Hamlin  he  was 
angry;  first,  he  told  himself,  because  Hamlin,  while 
temporarily  commanding  a  detached  squadron,  had 
passed  Trooper  Bell  beyond  the  Potomac,  but  down 
in  the  bottom  of  his  heart  Foulweather  knew  Ham- 
lin too  well  not  to  feel  sure  that  there  was  some 
good  reason  for  his  action  which  he  would  promptly 
give  when  called  upon.  He  knew,  too,  that  Bell 
was  a  man  possessed  of  peculiar,  even  somewhat 
mysterious  knowledge  of  men  and  things  in  this 
neighborhood,  which  in  itself  would  account  for  his 
selection  by  Hamlin.  He  knew  best  of  all  that  the 
real  reason  why  he  was  exasperated  and  angry  and 
at  odds  with  the  world  was  that  by  following  his  own 
instead  of  Hamlin's  counsel  he  had  lost  the  chance 
of  nabbing  the  Fairfax  troop  if  not  Fairfax  himself, 
and  all  because  he  had  followed  around  by  road  in- 
stead of  throwing  his  men  across  their  trail,  and  so, 
being  sore  on  this  score,  he  did  not  wish  to  see  Ham- 
lin and  have  to  admit  it.  Being  sure  that  Hamlin 
could  instantly  give  abundant  reason  for  sending 
Bell,  into  Maryland,  he  did  not  wish  to  see  Hamlin, 
and  have  at  once  to  countermand  the  orders  given 
in  the  presence  of  those  silent,  critical,  "damned 
Yankee  greenhorns."  (Foulweather  hailed  from 
the  Wabash  flats.)  And  so  it  resulted  that  he  did 
not  send  for  Hamlin  at  all, — Hamlin  who  was  hap- 
pily sleeping, — or  for  his  comrade  squadron  com- 
mander, who  was  gladly  doing  likewise,  for  Foul- 


THE  GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  HI 

weather  had  come  to  a  perplexing  point  in  his 
despatches,  and  there  was  only  one  person  to  whom 
Foulweather  would  ever  confess  his  ignorance,  and 
that  was  himself. 

Tired  with  his  long  ride  and  the  events  of  the  past 
three  days,  yet  too  worried  to  sleep,  he  had  his  darky 
cook  set  to  work  on  a  substantial  dinner  for  Wilson 
and  himself,  took  a  sizable  nip  from  his  canteen, 
threw  himself  on  his  blankets,  and  scowled  through 
his  mail  a  second  time.  Treacy,  his  second  in  com- 
mand, an  ex-sergeant  like  himself  and  a  good  fight- 
ing soldier,  had  bivouacked  the  wearied  detachment 
close  to  the  banks  of  the  brook  and  within  pistol-shot 
of  a  farm  enclosure,  now  as  empty  of  its  former 
occupants,  pigs,  cows,  and  chickens,  as  the  fields 
were  of  fence-rails.  The  smoke  curled  lazily  from 
the  chimney  of  the  farm-house  itself,  which  lay  close 
to  the  roadside  some  two  hundred  yards  away,  but 
only  the  upright  posts,  deep  planted,  remained  to  tell 
where  stood  the  barrier  between  pasture  and  public 
thoroughfare.  Close  to  the  stream  the  picket  ropes 
were  stretched,  and  there  the  horses  were  tethered, 
drowsing  in  the  noonday  sun,  some  lazily  switching 
at  the  late  autumn  flies,  some  sprawled  luxuriously 
on  the  close-nibbled  turf.  A  brace  of  travel-stained 
wagons,  with  their  scarred  and  battered  mules,  had 
come  up  from  Conrad's  Ferry  earlier  in  the  day, 
bringing  grain  and  rations,  and  horse  and  man  were 
filled  and  happy.  Tents  there  were  none  nearer  than 
the  wagon-train,  awaiting  orders  east  of  the  Gap,  but 


112  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

tents  the  sun-tanned  troopers  had  little  use  for. 
They  were  sprawling  everywhere  under  the  trees,  or 
even  on  the  open,  with  a  blanket  propped  to  ward  off 
the  rays  of  the  sun,  sleeping  the  sleep  of  the  just  and 
content.  Foul  weather  was  perhaps  the  only  really 
unhappy  man  in  the  lot.  The  loss  of  a  splendid 
opportunity  was  his  fault  alone,  and  men  bear  other 
men's  sorrows  much  more  resignedly  than  they  do 
their  o'wn.  Twice  the  major  arose  from  his  blankets 
and  scowled  at  the  scene  about  him,  bold,  beautiful, 
and  23icturesque  as  it  was.  Twice  he  looked  from  the 
hastily  written  page  in  his  hand  to  the  rock-seamed 
scarp  of  the  Loudoun  and  the  blue  outline  of  the 
South  Mountain  across  the  Potomac.  Twice  he 
turned  and  gazed  along  the  wooded  slopes  running 
away  to  the  northeast.  Then  back  to  the  puzzling 
paper  went  his  tired,  deep-set  eyes,  and  then  the 
major  reached  for  his  canteen  and  swore  and  drank 
afresh.  Both  performances  seemed  to  do  him  good, 
for  he  turned  with  renewed  energy  to  the  letter  and 
read: 

Dear  F., — The  General  gets  it  on  excellent 
authority  that  Captain  Fairfax  is  no  longer  any- 
where in  Loudoun  County,  that  he  managed  some- 
how to  cross  into  Maryland  two  nights  ago,  and  will 
doubtless  try  to  visit  the  Heatherwood  place  despite 
Mrs.  Lleatherwood's  prohibition.  Warning  has  been 
sent  to  Colonel  Clark  at  the  Monocacy,  and  he  has 
been  instructed  to  make  search  in  the  neighborhood 


THE  GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  113 

of  Poolesville,  where  Fairfax  was  seen  and  recog- 
nized. 

"]*^ow  we  want  to  capture  that  fellow,  if  a  possible 
thing,  and  not  lose  the  credit  to  a  lot  of  doughboys. 
There  is  a  place  in  the  Catoctin  Valley  not  two  miles 
from  the  river  where  they  say  Fairfax  has  tmce  been 
in  hiding.  It  is  owned  by  a  Mr.  Hutton,  who  is 
away  in  the  army,  and  is  cared  for  by  his  sister  and 
some  servants.  I've  never  seen  it,  but  according  to 
description  it  is  an  old,  two-story  stone  house  among 
a  lot  of  rose-bushes  and  trees  about  twenty  yards 
back  from  the  road,  with  chimneys  at  each  gable 
end,  built  out  like  buttresses  from  the  wall.  I  be- 
lieve it  would  pay  to  keep  an  eye  on  it.  Let  me 
know  how  things  are  going. 

"Yours  as  ever, 

"B.   J,    LORING, 

"A.  A.  G." 

This  letter  bore  date  which  showed  it  to  be  forty- 
eight  hours  old.  Fairfax,  therefore,  had  managed 
to  cross  the  river  before  his  friends  rode  down  to  the 
rescue,  and,  failing  to  find  him  as  expected  at  Lees- 
burg,  had  followed  on  to  the  very  bank  of  the  Po- 
tomac opposite  Heatherwood.  Why  had  they  so 
confidently  gone  thither?  That  was  far  above  his 
crossing  place,  provided  he  had  gone  to  Poolesville. 
Some  point  between  Edward's  Ferry  and  Ball's  Bluff 
would  have  been  far  more  logical  an  objective.  But 
his  troop  had  fairly  galloped,  so  said  the  darkies, 

8 


114        THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

from  Leesburg,  straight  as  the  winding  road  could 
take  tliem,  along  the  eastward  slope  of  the  Virginia 
Catoctins,  and  were  actually  hidden  in  the  woods 
and  signalling  to  Ileatherwood  Avhen  their  wary- 
flankers  and  pickets  reported  Bob  Hamlin's  squadron 
coming  back  at  the  trot,  and  they  had  to  drop  any 
other  matter  they  had  in  view  to  receive  him  with 
all  soldierly  honors.  Then  where  could  they  have 
expected  to  find  Fairfax  if  not  close  to  Heatherwood  ? 
Mrs.  Heatherwood's  prohibition  might  or  might  not 
have  had  the  effect  of  keeping  the  Virginian  captain 
off  her  premises.  Foulweather  was  a  sceptic  as  to 
the  prohibition  anyway.  Despite  Presidential  safe- 
guards and  the  endorsement  of  the  War  Secretary 
himself,  the  veteran  of  the  frontier  believed  Mrs. 
Heatherwood  quite  capable  of  concealing  rebel  spies 
about  her  house,  of  vising  Union  troopers  as  couriers, 
of  involving  Union  surgeons  in  treasonable  corre- 
spondence, and  of  tempting  Union  officers  from  the 
paths  of' honor.  The  more  he  thought,  and  in  the 
course  of  his  cogitation  another  drink  became  neces- 
sary, the  more  Foulweather  became  convinced  that 
the  much-lauded  Captain  Belden  had  more  than  once 
visited  Heatherwood,  though  possibly  under  an  as- 
sumed name. 

And  now  from  the  adjutant-general  of  the  cavalry 
brigade  he  liad  received  a  hint  that  warranted 
further  search  for  the  lurking  Virginian,  and  might 
enable  him  to  investigate  Belden's  movements,  Clark 
or  no  Clark.    Weary  as  he  was,  there  was  inspiration 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  115 

in  the  thought.  He  sprang  to  his  feet  again,  and 
looked  eagerly  abont  him.  "Wilson,  his  callow  adju- 
tant, was  already  drooping  and  dozing  over  a  letter 
he  was  trying  to  write  to  his  mother.  The  boy  was 
fairly  worn  out.  His  older  officers  were  sleeping 
soundly;  so  were  half  the  men  and  many  of  the 
horses.  The  cavalry  instinct  in  him  told  him  they 
must  have  rest  before  he  could  again  set  forth,  es- 
pecially as  he  purposed  to  ride,  with  half  a  troop  at 
least,  over  into  Maryland.  So,  reluctantly  enough 
he  decided  that  he  must  wait  until  after  dusk  before 
he  could  begin,  and  all  the  time  he  never  dreamed 
that  not  a  mile  away  vigilant  eyes  kept  track  of 
every  goer  or  comer  about  his  camp,  and  that  his 
movement,  the  instant  it  was  made,  would  be  sig- 
nalled up  and  across  the  river,  even  to  where  stately 
Heatherwood  gleamed  white  among  the  autumn 
foliage,  and  stood  sentinel  at  the  great  bend.  Before 
two  o'clock  that  afternoon  it  was  known  to  certain  of 
the  inmates  at  Heatherwood  that  Major  Foul- 
weather's  detachment  was  dozing  through  the  after- 
noon and  no  move  might  be  expected  before  night. 
But  an  hour  later  came  a  different  story. 

Out  in  the  orchard,  wandering  among  the  fast 
turning  trees,  the  plump  and  rounded  form  and 
saucy  face  of  Miss  Laura  Waddell  could  be  seen 
when  all  the  mansion  seemed  wrapped  in  slumber, 
so  still  and  reposeful  was  the  homestead,  and  Miss 
Waddell,  for  reasons  best  known  to  herself,  had  re- 
frained from  singing.    Yet  she  looked  for  some  one, 


116         THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

was  impatient  of  liis  delay,  but  dare  not  call  liim  to 
her.     Every  now  and  then  she  would  step  to  a  point 
at  the  west  end  of  the  orchard,  whence,  through  a 
rift  in  the  trees,  she  could  see  the  A^irginia  shore,  the 
forest-covered  heights  beyond,  and  here  and  there  a 
house  or  cottage.     Westward   over  the  Monocacy 
A^alley  towards  Point  of  Rocks  all  was  open  and 
unbroken,   and  the  rugged  scarp  of  the  Catoctins 
frowned  against  the  autumn  skies.     North  of  the 
grand   river   the   girl   found   nothing  to   claim  her 
attention,    outside    the    grounds    of    Heatherwood. 
Once  in  a  while,  very  cautiously,  she  Avould  glance 
towards  the  house,  and  her  black  eyes  would  take 
quick,  furtive  peeps  at  the  westernmost  of  the  three 
dormer-windows  that  faced  the  south.     It  was  open 
to  the  afternoon  sunshine;    a  white  curtain  floated 
in  the  breeze,  but  not  a  soul  was  visible.     Down  on 
the  old  to^^q^ath  the  sound  of  drowsy  voices  could  be 
heard  from  time  to  time,  and  twice  a  drum  had  clat- 
tered impatiently  in  the  camp  of  Clark's  men.    Some 
unusual  ceremony  was  taking  place,   for  the  girl 
could  see  the  heavy  double  lines  ployed  in  mass  and 
standing  near  the   colonel's  tent.      Twice   the  girl 
fancied  she  could  hear  the  deep  tones  of  the  colonel 
himself  as  though  addressing  his  men.     Forbidden 
to  laugh  or  sing  or  torment  Pettingill,  Miss  Waddell 
found  time  hanging  heavily  on  her  hands,  and  in- 
terest had  given  way  to  yawning  and  drowsiness.     "I 
don't  care,  I  don't  believe  that  fella's  ever  comin'," 
she  said  to  herself,  with  that  joyous  disregard  of 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  117 

terminal  letters  that  was  so  large  a  characteristic  of 
certain  sections  of  the  South  a  quarter-century  ago; 
"and  I  don't  care  if  he  never  comes,"  she  added, 
when  suddenly  recalled  to  herself  by  the  sound  of 
her  own  name,  clearlj'  yet  not  too  loudly  called, 
floating  down  as  it  were  from  the  house-top,  and, 
turning  quickly,  the  girl  saw  a  hand  waving  at  that 
open  dormer-window,  an  eager,  beautiful  face  peer- 
ing forth,  gazing  across  the  Potomac  towards  the  dis- 
tant slopes  of  the  Loudoun,  then  quickly  down  in 
search  of  her.  There  was  no  mistaking  either  face  or 
hand,  or  the  slender  form  now  shrinking  back  from 
the  window, — Miss  Heatherwood  beyond  a  doubt; 
and  now  right  beside  her,  but  keeping  back  from  the 
open  casement,  sallow,  pallid,  bearded,  was  another 
face  that  was  itself  hidden  the  next  instant  behind 
a  pair  of  field-glasses  and  thin  white  hands.  Captain 
Ralph  Heatherwood,  C.S.A.,  was  then  sufficiently 
recovered  to  leave  his  bed  and  clamber  to  the  garret. 
"Laura,  quick!"  was  called  again,  in  cautious  tone, 
and  the  girl  sped  away  like  a  fawn  until  she  stood 
beneath  the  window. 

"What  is  it?"  she  hailed,  curbing  her  shrill  young 
voice  to  cautious  tone.     "I  haven't  seen  a  thing." 

"We  have,"  was  the  answer,  "and  he  must  know — 
quick.  You  must  get  word  to  him  that  the  cavalry 
has  broken  camp  and  is  coming  this  way, — coming 
fast." 

Xot  fifteen  minutes  later,  mounted  on  an  aston- 
ished, reluctant,  but  docile  old  reminiscence  of  for- 


118  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

mer  days  of  equine  style  and  spirit,  the  Virginia  girl, 
her  black  eyes  sparkling,  her  cheeks  aflame  with  ex- 
citement, was  jogging  down  the  winding  roadway, 
urging  Dobbin  into  semblance  of  a  trot.  Turning 
from  the  "S"  at  the  second  bend,  she  followed  the 
grass-grown,  leafy  track  that  led  southward  towards 
the  canal,  and  as  she  cast  one  backward  glance  over 
her  rounded  shoulder  for  a  survey  of  the  rolling 
fields,  the  wooded  slopes  of  Sugar  Loaf  loomed  be- 
tween her  and  the  northern  sky, — the  lofty  watch- 
tower  of  the  Union  array, — and  on  its  very  summit, 
almost  among  the  clouds,  a  little  patch  of  white  and 
scarlet  was  swinging  furiously,  signalling  to  Mary- 
land Heights  full  thirty  miles  away. 


CHAPTER    yil. 

Old  Foulweatlier  had  stretched  himself  out  for  a 
"think."  Dinner  had  done  him  good  and  sent  Wil- 
son sound  asleep,  but  the  major  was  uneasy  in  mind 
and  only  a  light  sleeper  at  any  time.  He  was  vexed 
at  the  tone  of  official  inquiries  into  his  failure  to  ac- 
complish the  object  of  his  Virginia  scouting,  espe- 
cially as  no  clearly  defined  object  existed.  In  com- 
pliance with  his  own  urgent  pleading,  he  had  been 
allowed  to  run  up  into  Loudoun  County  for  a  few 
days,  and,  in  general  terms,  had  been  told  to  make 
the  neighborhood  of  Lecsburg  his  exploring  ground, 
to  "observe  matters  in  its  vicinity,  to  patrol  the 
roads,  watch  the  passes,  break  up  the  enemy's  means 
of  obtaining  information,  and  arrest  all  rebel  officers 
or  soldiers  whose  whereabouts  he  could  learn." 
This  made  Hamlin  laugh.  "There's  fifty  thousand 
of  them  right  over  around  Winchester,  if  McClellan 
really  wants  'em,"  said  he.  But  except  the  ill-starred 
attempt  of  some  of  Porter's  corps  to  snap  at  the  heels 
of  the  foe  as  they  crossed  the  Potomac  from  Antie- 
tam,  the  sorely  depleted,  but  still  savagely  fighting, 
force  of  Lee  had  been  left  alone.  Foulweather's  in- 
structions further  required  him  to  keep  vigilant  eye 
on  the  movements  of  the  enemy,  and  give  prompt 

notice  when  he  began  his  retreat,  and  this,  too,  made 

119 


120        THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

Hamlin  laugh,  and  Treacy  swear.  "Eetreat  be 
damned!"  said  the  latter.  ''He's  no  more  idea  of 
retreatin'  than  Little  Mac  has  of  advancin',  and  as  to 
keepin'  vigilant  eye  throngh  them  peep-holes  in  the 
Blue  Ridge,  we  never  put  an  eye  to  wan  of  em'  but 
somebody  blacks  it.  Them  fellers  has  generals  that 
knows  how  to  use  cavalry,  bedad,  and  our  generals 
that  knows  how — ain't  permitted.  That's  all  there 
is  to  it.  Faix,  it's  wan  thing  to  name  a  saddle  and 
another  to  know  how  to  use  it." 

And  the  Irish  ex-sergeant  was  not  alone  in  his  way 
of  thinking.  The  little  force  of  regular  troopers 
had  been  split  up  into  detachments,  a  troop  here,  a 
squadron  there,  acting  as  provost  guards,  quarter- 
master's guards,  generals'  escorts,  doing  orderly 
duty,  and  the  like,  while  the  new,  undrilled,  un- 
seasoned regiments  of  cavalry  volunteers  were  bri- 
gaded under  officers  who,  in  several  cases  at  least, 
certainly  knew  their  trade,  but  were  all  hampered 
more  or  less  by  holding  reins  that  kept  them  dry- 
rotting  about  the  camps,  where  there  was  not  room 
for  even  riding-lessons,  when  they  should  have  been 
afield.  One  command  of  nearly  six  strong  regiments 
was  far  up  the  Potomac  near  Cumberland,  another 
was  scattered  on  the  Maryland  shore  of  the  river, 
watching  fords  and  ferries  above  Antietam  Creek. 
Some  regiments  with  Stoneman  were  hovering  about 
Poolesville  and  Darnestown,  others  with  Stahel  were 
out  in  front  of  Washington,  and  Foulweather  had 
been  temporarily  attached  to  that  command.     Dick 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  121 

Rush's  picturesque  regiment  of  Pennsylvania  Lan- 
cers was  picketing  the  roads  about  Frederick,  while 
Allen,  with  the  First  Maine,  garrisoned  the  town. 
But  most  important  of  all,  gallant  John  Buford, 
relieved  for  the  time  of  active  command,  was 
chafing  under  the  title  of  Chief  of  Cavalry  at 
the  head-quarters  of  the  army,  where  even  his 
vigorous  influence  seemed  powerless  to  compel 
proper  recognition  of  cavalry  needs.  The  battling 
at  Antietam  had  been  terrific,  but  when  it  was 
over  and  Lee  gathered  up  his  hosts  and  slowly  re- 
crossed  the  Potomac,  he  had  fought  so  superbly  that 
McClellan  dared  not  follow.  Like  some  sorely 
wounded  but  still  dreaded  lion,  the  Southern  army 
limped  away  southward  and  lay  down  to  rest  and 
recuperate  in  the  open  fields  between  Winchester 
and  Bunker  Hill,  while  McClellan,  slow,  cautious, 
"feeling  his  way,"  sent  his  war-dogs  warily  creeping 
after  them,  and  on  the  neighboring  heights  they 
crouched  and  watched,  yet  drew  no  nearer^  for  at 
the  slightest  forward  movement  the  foe  uplifted  a 
threatening  front,  and  the  first  growl  of  warning 
scattered  the  pack.  Spanning  the  Potomac  and  the 
Shenandoah  with  his  pontoons,  manning  the  heights 
of  Bolivar,  Loudoun,  and  Maryland  with  his  chosen 
corps,  the  Union  leader  halted  and  waited  and  clam- 
ored for  men  and  shoes,  clothing,  food,  and  wagons, 
and  behind  him  a  nation  rose  up  impatient,  and  at 
last  there  came  a  day,  after  full  three  weeks  of  utter 
inaction,  when  something  had  to  be  done,  for  the 


122  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

rebel  battle-flags  were  sweeping  into  Pennsylvania, 
the  plumes  of  Stuart  at  tlie  head  of  column. 

It  must  have  been  somewhere  towards  two  o'clock 
on  this  October  afternoon  that  Foulweather, 
sprawled  on  his  blankets  under  a  spreading  tree,  was 
roused  from  his  rumination  by  sudden  excitement 
among  the  men.  Two  veteran  sergeants  on  duty 
with  the  horses  were  in  lively  discussion  with  a 
young  non-commissioned  officer  who  had  just  come 
in  (from  a  "personally  conducted"  scout  through 
some  neighboring  farm-yard)  with  a  hat  full  of 
ajjples  and  a  head  full  of  news. 

"I  tell  you  I  seen  it,"  he  was  saying,  "right  up 
there  on  the  range  not  three  miles  north  of  us. 
There's  a  cabin  of  some  kind  there,  and  I  could 
count  the  flashes.  They're  signalling  to  some  people 
down  here  about  the  old  Hutton  place,  where  the 
smoke  is  rising  from  the  chimney  yonder.  It's  look- 
ing-glass signalling.  You've  seen  it  among  the  Co- 
manches,  sergeant.  You'd  know  it  again.  Come  out 
with  me  and  I'll  prove  it." 

Foulweather  sat  up  at  the  instant  and  rubbed  his 
eyes.  He  was  drowsy,  he  knew  he  needed  sleep,  but 
he  could  lose  no  chance.  If  there  was  signalling 
from  the  heights  to  Confederates  close  at  hand,  it 
behooved  him  to  look  out.  Snicker's  Gap  wasn't  so 
far  away  to  the  west  that  Stuart's  people  might  not 
jump  through  at  any  minute  and  swoop  do\vn  upon 
him.  He  had  sent  Sergeant  Almy  with  a  brace  of 
reliable  troopers  full  two  miles  out  in  that  direction 


THE  GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  123 

beyond  his  vedettes,  and  others  still  had  gone  south- 
ward, but  up  to  this  moment  no  word  had  come  from 
either,  yet  the  air  seemed  heavy  with  portent.  Short 
Mountain,  the  easternmost  of  the  Loudoun  clump  at 
the  Potomac,  shut  off  his  view  of  Maryland  Heights, 
and  the  Kittoctan  hid  from  him  the  more  distant 
peak  of  Sugar  Loaf  in  Maryland.  Otherwise,  with  his 
glasses  he  might  have  made  out  the  signal-towers  at 
these  points.  He  was  feeling  a  trifle  sluggish  and 
heavy  now.  Dinner,  whiskey,  and  lack  of  sleep  were 
all  beginning  to  tell,  but  the  excited  talk  had  caused 
a  stir  among  the  men,  several  of  whom  were  sitting 
up,  rubbing  their  eyes,  and  beginning  to  take  part  in 
the  conference,  and  then  the  major's  bleary  eyes 
lighted  suddenly  on  Bob  Hamlin,  strolling  up  from 
the  brook  in  his  shirt  sleeves,  alert  and  refreshed  after 
a  souse  in  the  clear,  cold  water,  and  the  major  hailed 
him  at  once. 

"Hamlin,"  said  he,  "what  possessed  you  to  let  that 
fellow  Bell  go  over  into  Maryland?" 

Hamlin  waited  until  he  had  reached  a  point  within 
three  yards  of  his  chief  before  he  answered,  and  then 
replied,  calmly  and  respectfully,  "Because  I  believed 
what  he  told  me, — that  you  wouldn't  find  Fairfax 
on  this  side,  and  might  on  that.  H  any  one  can  find 
out  his  lair,  I  believe  Bell  can." 

"Well,  instead  of  hunting  for  Fairfax  he's  been 
playing  messenger  for  that  rebel  rookery  at  Heather- 
wood,  carrying  notes  to  and  fro,  and  God  knows  what 
all.    I  found  that  he  had  spent  the  night  at  Heather- 


124  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

wood, — where  you  had  no  business  to  let  him  go, — 
and  I  have  turned  him  over  to  the  provost-marshal." 

Hamlin's  frank  face  clouded.  He  began  to  speak, 
then  suddenly  checked  himself,  and  Foulweather 
went  on. 

"And  now  our  men  are  talking  about  signals  going 
on  up  the  range  there.  I'll  bet  a  hat  they're  flash- 
ing, or  flagging,  or  waving  something  to  those 
Heatherwood  people  this  very  minute,  and  that  like 
as  not  it's  about  that  very  fellow  Bell,  or  perhaps 
Fairfax.  What  do  you  know  about  Bell,  anyhow? 
What  makes  you  trust  him?  I'm  half  ready  to  bet 
he  was  doing  some  rebel  trick  with  those  Heather- 
wood  people  when  I  was  lucky  enough  to  nab  him." 

"I'm  wholly  ready  to  take  jou,  major,"  was  the 
placid  reply.  "And  now  to  cut  this  short,  I'll  bet 
you  that  that  fellow  is  as  loyal  a  trooper  as  you'll 
find  in  the  cavalry,  and,  unless  he's  got  to  drinking 
a,gain,  I  know  of  no  reason  why  he  should  be  ar- 
rested. He  was  authorized  by  me  to  go  over  and 
prosecute  a  line  of  search.  I  gave  him  a  note  to 
Colonel  Allen  at  Frederick,  to  tell  him  what  I  knew 
of  Fairfax,  and  further  gave  Bell  authority  that  if 
need  be  he  could  go  as  far  as  Darnestown.  It  is  my 
belief  that  he  knows  Fairfax  by  sight,  though  he 
will  not  admit  it,  and  that  he  can  recognize  him 
through  any  disguise;  therefore,  I  said  go.  It's  my 
belief,  further,  that  he  w^ould  have  found  something 
valuable  concerning  Fairfax  if  it  hadn't  been  for  this 
arrest.    Now  it's  useless  to  hope  for  anything  on  that 


THE  GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  125 

score.  But  I  protest  against  the  arrest  while  acting 
under  my  orders,  and  I  urge  you,  major,  to  send  im- 
mediate withdrawal  of  any  charges  against  him.'* 
Hamlin  was  turning  away,  but  suddenly  returned 
and  confronted  his  angry  chief.  "Furthermore,  I 
will  tell  you  this,  sir,  you'll  wish  you  had  Bell  back 
again  before  you're  twelve  hours  older.  Look  what's 
coming  now." 

And  as  Hamlin  spoke,  he  pointed  towards  the  gap 
through  the  Kittoctan,  beyond  which  lay  Leesburg, 
Ball's  Bluif,  and  the  lower  ferries.  Riding  post  haste 
down  the  rocky  road  came  a  little  squad  of  horse- 
men, a  young  officer  in  advance,  two  orderlies  spur- 
ring at  his  heels.  So  still  was  the  October  afternoon, 
now  becoming  overcast,  that  the  sound  of  the  hoofs 
clattering  on  the  stony  way  and  the  hoarse  panting 
of  the  foaming  steeds  were  already  audible.  There 
were  rush  and  excitement  in  the  very  sight  and  sound, 
and  all  over  the  bivouac  the  troopers  were  springing 
to  their  feet  and  gazing  eagerly  towards  the  coming 
couriers.  Many  a  time,  night  or  day,  had  they  been 
roused  from  their  stolen  slumbers  by  just  such  ar- 
rivals, harbingers  of  battle,  and  never  yet  had  Foul- 
weather's  little  detachment,  pretty  much  all  that 
was  left  of  the  old  regiment,  failed  to  respond.  It 
seemed  as  though  the  eager,  onward,  daring  spirit 
of  the  rough  old  trooper  at  their  head  permeated 
the  entire  force,  mounts  and  men,  and  that,  night  or 
day,  Foulweather's  fellows  were  ready  for  work. 
^'Say  what  you  will  of  him,"  said  beloved  "Uncle 


126        THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

John,"  a  cavalry  leader  the  troopers  of  the  army 
of  the  Potomac  loved  and  trusted  as  Tommy  Atkins 
of  to-day  swears  by  the  gallant  soldier  known  to 
the  army  list  as  Lord  Roberts,  but  to  fighting  men 
the  world  over  as  "Bobs," — "say  what  you  will  of 
Poulweather,  he's  no  fairweather  soldier."  And 
now  the  major  stood  at  gaze,  his  sturdy  legs  planted 
well  apart,  his  fists  digging  into  his  hips,  his  arms 
akimbo,  and  his  tired  eyes  lighting  up  with  eager 
fire,  and  Bob  Hamlin,  vexed  and  more  than  half  dis- 
posed to  mutiny  but  a  moment  before^  found  his 
heart  warming  to  the  commander  who,  right  or 
wrong,  neck  or  nothing,  was  ever  ready  for  fight. 

A  moment  more  and  the  officer  in  the  lead  had 
reached  the  bend  in  the  road  nearest  the  stream,  and, 
leaping  his  reeking  horse  over  a  shallow  ditch,  came 
laboring  across  the  open  field.  "Where's  the  major?" 
he  shouted,  waving  as  he  did  so  a  despatch  he  tore 
from  the  pocket  of  his  blouse,  and  a  dozen  voices  and 
hands  uplifted  directed  him  to  the  tree  beneath 
which  stood  old  Foul  weather  and  his  junior  squad- 
ron commander. 

"What's  up.  Skinny?"  hailed  the  veteran,  as  he 
recognized  in  the  coming  man  the  lightest  rider  in 
the  old  cavalry  brigade.  But  for  answer  the  officer 
tossed  him  the  letter,  rolled  out  of  saddle  and  panted: 

"Have  your  men  had  their  dinner?" 

"Lord,  yes,  long  ago.  What's  the  matter?"  re- 
peated Foulweather,  tearing  away  at  the  stout  enve- 
lope, but  seeking  quicker  tidings  in  the  haggard 
eyes  of  the  courier. 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  127 

"Then  sound  'To  Horse/  for  God's  sake!  I've 
been  hunting  for  jou  since  morning, — been  'way 
around  beyond  Leesburg,  and  nearly  got  nabbed."' 

By  this  time  the  major  had  ripped  open  the  paper 
and  was  glaring  at  the  contents.  Before  he  had  read 
three  lines  his  eyes  seemed  popping  from  his  head. 
Hamlin  felt  his  nerves  tingling,  but  "Skinny,"  leav- 
ing his  exhausted  horse  to  his  own  devices,  reached 
for  the  major's  ready  canteen,  shook  it,  drew  the 
stopper,  sniifed  at  the  contents,  then  applying  the 
spout  to  his  lips,  tilted  his  head  back  and  shut  his 
dust-rimmed  eyes.  Roused  from  his  slumbers  by 
the  sound  of  subdued,  but  excited  talk,  the  unusual 
stir  and  action,  Captain  Treacy  came  hurrying  over 
to  join  his  chief,  buttoning  his  blue  coat  on  the  run. 
Foulweather's  eyes  were  blazing  by  this  time  and  his 
thin  lips  were  tight  compressed.  Here,  there,  and 
everywhere  among  the  trees  little  knots  of  troopers 
in  their  worn  jackets  or  coarse  gray  shirts  were 
gazing  fixedly  at  the  group  at  head-quarters.  Some 
men  sat  silently  on  their  blankets,  but  were  pulling 
on  their  boots  or  buckling  the  shabby  old  brass  spurs. 
Contrary  to  expectation,  the  major  did  not  break  out 
vnth.  order  or  expletive  until  he  had  read  every  word 
of  the  missive.  Then  came  the  announcement  in  un- 
expected form: 

"Gentlemen,  you  may  remember  my  telling  Cap- 
tain Belden  I  considered  Jeb  Stuart,  whom  he  so 
praised  as  a  cavalry  leader,  as  mad-brained  a  crank 
as  ever  rode  a  charge,  and  Jeb  Stuart  has  proved  my 
words  this  day  of  days." 


128         THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

"What  d'ye  mane?"  growled  Treacy,  impatient  of 
circumlocution,     "AVliat's  he  doin'  now?" 

"Crossed  the  Potomac  into  Maryland  with  only 
two  thousand  sabres,  right  in  the  face  of  our  whole 
force,  and  riding  for  the  rear  of  the  army.  Good-by 
to  you,  Jeb!  You  laughed  at  my  tactics  three  years 
ago  at  Riley,  but  we'll  have  the  laugh  on  you  this 
night,  or  there's  neither  brains  nor  bottom  left  in 
the  old  army.  Oh,  if  we  only  had  the  regulars  to- 
gether for  twenty-four  hours  instead  of  split  up  all 
over  the  land.    Listen  to  this,  gentlemen: 

"  Point  of  Rocks,  Maryland, 
"October  11,  1862,  10  a.m. 

"Major F , 

"Commanding    Detachment    Cavalry,    in    the 
Field,  near  Leesburg: 

"Sir, — General  Burnside  directs  me  to  notify  you 
at  once  that  the  rebel  general  Stuart  crossed  the  Po- 
tomac at  McCoy's  Ferry  at  daybreak  yesterday,  cov- 
ered by  a  heavy  fog,  with  a  force  estimated  by  the 
signal-officers  at  two  thousand  sabres  and  four  guns, 
and  has  pushed  northward  to  Pennsylvania.  It  is 
probable  that  he  is  aiming  again  to  make  the  circuit 
of  the  army  and  to  raid  the  field  hospitals  and  quar- 
termasters' depots.  General  Pleasonton,  with  all 
available  cavalry,  will  doubtless  pursue  at  once,  and 
it  will  be  impossible  for  Stuart  to  return  the  way  he 
came. 

"The  general  hesitates  to  give  orders  to  you,  as 
you  are  not  directly  under  his  command,  but,  it  be- 


THE  GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  129 

ing  impracticable  to  communicate  with  your  brigade 
commander,  it  is  suggested  that  jou  march  to  the 
Monocacy  by  way  of  White's  Ford  in  order  that  a 
force  of  cavalry  may  be  concentrated  to  meet  and 
overthrow  Stuart  should  he  come  this  way,  as  he 
jjrobably  will.  The  signal-officer  reports  that  Stuart 
is  out  of  sight,  far  to  the  north,  and  that  troops  are 
now  marching  in  pursuit. 

"Our  cavalry  at  Frederick  are  ordered  out  already. 
General  Stoneman  has  a  big  force  around  Pooles- 
ville.  IVe  have  men  enough  to  block  every  ford, 
and  Stuart  ought  to  be  captured  within  twelve 
hours.  At  all  events,  you  are  warned  in  time,  and 
must  not  be  caught  all  by  yourself  over  in  Loudoun 
County. 

"Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

"J.  D.  Hastings, 

"A.  D.  C." 

And  as  the  major  finished  the  paper,  he  turned, 
with  kindling  eyes,  and  ordered,  "Sound  to  horse!" 

And  then,  indeed,  was  there  a  stirring  scene  along 
the  banks  of  the  little  branch  of  the  Kittoctan.  Or- 
dinarily a  field  column  strikes  its  tents  and  forms 
for  the  march  with  some  ceremony  and  precision, 
at  the  bugle  sound  "The  General."  Frequently  when 
cavalry  are  in  bivouac  and  are  to  pack  their  traps 
and  start  away,  and  there  is  no  especial  hurry,  "Boots 
and  Saddles"  is  the  signal,  and  the  troopers  take  it 
leisurely.    But  like  the  "To  Arms!"  of  the  infantry, 


130  THE   GENERALS   DOUBLE. 

there  is  a  call  to  action  for  the  mounted  corps  that 
sends  each  man  to  his  station  on  the  jump,  a  call  at 
sound  of  which  the  chargers  stamp  and  snort,  and 
switch  about  with  ears  erect  and  eyes  aflash,  and 
troopers  spring  for  their  saddles  and  arms,  for  not 
a  moment  must  be  lost.  No  time  is  wasted  on  roll- 
calls  or  inspection.  Quick  as  men  can  jump  into 
their  own  rigs,  fold  their  blankets,  strap  saddles,  and 
lead  into  line,  the  sergeants  order  "Mount!"  and  the 
squadron  is  ready. 

Foulweather  had  no  tents  to  strike,  no  impedi- 
menta except  the  few  pots,  pans,  and  kettles  to  be 
dumped  into  the  wagon  and  rattled  after  them.  In 
ten  minutes  from  the  stirring  peal  the  three  compact 
little  squadrons  were  forming  line,  and  in  less  than 
fifteen  were  moving,  first  at  quiet  walk,  filing  out 
upon  the  valley  road  in  silent  sets  of  fours,  diminish- 
ing front  to  column  of  twos  as  they  struck  the  wind- 
ing ascent  to  the  Pass,  and  then,  following  old  Foul- 
weather  and  the  fluttering  guidon,  with  jingling 
spur  and  clanking  sabre  and  clattering  hoofs,  away 
they  squirmed  and  twisted  up  the  westward  slope, 
turned  to  the  northward  as  they  cleared  the  range, 
struck  the  trot  as  their  stocky  leader  signalled  "head 
of  column  to  the  left"  when  they  reached  the  old, 
familiar,  dusty  highway  on  the  eastward  slopes,  and, 
with  every  signal-tower  within  a  radius  of  fifty  miles 
of  Harper's  Ferry  flagging  question  and  answer, 
orders  and  news,  rumors  and  facts  from  far  and  near, 
and  regiments  marching  hither  and  yon,  and  bri- 


THE  GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  131 

gades  and  battalions  heading  northward  in  search  of 
the  daring  invader,  batteries  and  squadrons  jogging 
through  the  country  lanes,  with  wary  leaders  far 
ahead,  and  the  afternoon  sunshine  glinting  on 
Heatherwood  towers  and  glancing  from  Heather- 
wood's  dormer-windows,  and  causing  strange,  blind- 
ing, vivid  flashes  to  dart  at  intervals  through  a  leafy 
gap  towards  the  silent  heights  across  the  placid, 
plashing  waters,  on  came  old  Foulweather,  with 
Treacy  and  Drummond  and  bold  Bob  Hamlin,  each 
at  the  head  of  his  own  little  band,  riding  post  haste 
to  join  an  army  in  its  effort  to  hem  in  and  surround, 
overthrow  or  capture,  the  rash  Virginians  who,  pin- 
ning their  faith  on  the  gold-laced  gray  sleeve  at  the 
head  of  their  jaunty  column,  dared  to  follow  him 
tlirough  the  lines  of  the  enemy  and  run  the  gauntlet 
of  a  scattered  force  of  forty  thousand  men.  "Good- 
by  to  you  and  yours,  Jeb  Stuart!"  said  old  Foul- 
weather,  as,  forgetful  of  fatigue  or  food,  or  even 
whiskey,  he  plashed  through  the  limpid  waters  of  the 
Potomac  at  the  ford,  squashed  through  the  mud  in 
the  empty  bed  of  the  canal  beyond,  and  was  lost  in 
the  shades  of  night  on  the  route  to  Frederick,  ready 
to  bet  the  last  cent  in  his  pocket,  the  last  drop  of 
blood  in  his  veins,  that  he  and  ''the  old  regiment" 
would  have  it  out  with  Jeb  now  and  for  all  time,  and 
turn  the  laugh  on  him  at  last. 

But  as  the  long  column  swung  its  tail  clear  of  the 
canal,  the  rearmost  troopers  exchanging  a  volley  of 
chaff  with  the  pickets  along  the  bank,  a  regiment  of 


132  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

infantry  in  bright  blue  uniforms,  with  overcoats 
rolled  and  bayonets  unfixed,  came  marching  by  fours 
along  the  towpath,  a  stalwart,  bearded  soldier  riding 
at  their  head,  who  turned  in  saddle  and  ordered 
"Halt!"  that  the  troopers  might  pass  by;  then 
nodded  cool  recognition  to  the  red-faced  old  dragoon, 
who,  leading  the  horsemen  as  they  issued  from  the 
ford,  reined  out  to  the  left  to  meet  him. 

"Which  way,  colonel?"  asked  Foul  weather,  per- 
sonal differences  forgotten  in  the  absorbing  nature 
of  the  work  in  hand.  "I  thought  you  were  on  guard 
at  the  Monocacy  aqueduct?" 

"Maine  relieves  us  there,"  was  the  answer.  "We 
are  ordered  to  report  to  General  Ward  near  Con- 
rad's." 

"Any  news  of  Stuart?" 

"Signal-towers  haven't  seen  a  thing  of  him.  They 
say  there  was  rain  in  the  Cumberland  Valley  last 
night,  and  the  dust  was  laid  this  morning.  They 
can't  track  him,  but  he's  destroyed  all  public 
property  in  Chambersburg,  and  cut  the  wires,  and 
the  last  heard  of  him  was  striking  for  Gettysburg. 
It's  thought  now  he  aims  to  get  back  to  the  east  of 
us, — Edward's  Ferry,  perliaps." 

"By  God!"  cried  Foulweather,  with  impatient 
slap  of  his  broad  palm  on  a  burly  thigh;  "if  I  can 
find  a  guide  that  knows  the  roads  up  there  to  the 
northeast,  he'll  never  get  back  to  the  river  without  a 
fight."  And  the  major  looked  anxiously  northward. 
"Keep  the  road  to  Heatherwood,  Treacy,"  he  called 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  133 

out,  "till  I  join  jou,"  then  turned  again  to  the 
bearded  colonel.  "I  suppose  they're  filling  the  whole 
Monocacj  against  his  coming  that  way?"  he  in- 
quired. 

"So  our  despatches  say.  Burnside  sent  two  bri- 
gades into  the  valley  from  beyond  Point  of  Rocks. 
Pleasonton  is  ordered  east  through  the  ridge  to  head 
him  off,  and  ought  to  be  north  of  Frederick  now. 
The  Lancers  and  the  First  Maine  are  out  already. 
Stuart  will  never  be  fool  enough  to  try  to  fight  his 
way  through  such  heavy  force.  That's  why  I  say 
he's  likely  to  come  down  through  Hyattstown, 
perhaps, — away  to  the  east  of  Frederick,  anyhow. 
You've  had  a  guide  that  knows  that  country  thor- 
oughly, so  Homans  tells  me,  but  he's  out  with 
another  party  now." 

"I  had?  Who  do  you  mean?"  growled  the  major, 
a  sudden  suspicion  dawning  upon  him,  as  Bob  Ham- 
lin came  riding  up  at  the  head  of  his  squadron. 

"The  man  you  ordered  turned  over  to  the  guard 
at  Heatherwood, — Bell,  they  say  his  name  is.  He's 
guiding  a  squadron  of  regulars  from  Point  of  Rocks 
that  passed  my  pickets  two  hours  ago.  My  officers 
recognized  him  at  once." 

"D'ye  hear  that,  Hamlin?"  roared  Foul  weather. 
"That  damned  man  Mcintosh  is  out  with  his  squad- 
ron to  clip  our  wings  and  get  our  glory,  by  God! 
and  has  had  the  infernal  brass  to  take  my  own 
trooper,  the  man  that  I  ordered  under  guard,  to  show 
him  the  way." 


134        THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

"Yes,"  answered  Bob,  reflectively,  as  he  reined 
up  a  moment  to  reply  to  his  chief.  "I  think  I  re- 
member saying  a  while  ago,  that  it  wouldn't  be 
twelve  hours  before  you'd  wish  you  had  Bell  back 
asrain." 


CHAPTER  yill. 

There  was,  indeed,  mounting  in  hot  haste  all  over 
the  army  of  the  Potomac  that  eventful  October  Sat- 
urday, mad  eagerness  for  the  chase,  wild  rage  for 
battle,  and  blind  ignorance  of  the  movements  of  the 
foe.  i^ot  two  months  before  had  that  cavalier  leader, 
Stuart,  spurred  completely  around  the  halted  hosts 
of  General  Pope,  raiding  his  very  head-quarters 
train,  looting  the  general's  personal  baggage,  don- 
ning, some  said,  the  general's  personal  uniform, 
though  ardent  Southerners  denied  with  indignation 
the  story  that  their  hero  knight  could  ever  again 
stoop  to  wear  the  Yankee  blue,  "but  he  might  have 
dressed  some  nigguh  in  it."  iSTot  two  months  before, 
Stuart  and  his  merry  men  had  ridden  laughing  away 
from  the  smoking  ruins  of  the  Union  camp.  Barely 
six  weeks  agone  they  had  repeated,  to  our  even 
greater  cost,  the  best  part  of  the  same  trooper  pleas- 
antry: swooped  down  on  the  trains  and  stores  at 
Manassas  Junction,  filled  their  stomachs  with  all 
they  could  eat,  clothed  their  wiry  selves  in  all  they 
could  wear,  turned  over  huge  supplies,  still  unappro- 
priated, to  Old  Jack's  "foot  cavalry"  when  they  came 
trudging  after,  and  now,  having  vainly  waited  an 
anxious  fortnight  for  McClellan  to  follow  up  the 

advantage  gained  at  so  much  cost  at  Antietam,  here 

135 


136        THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

he  was  again:  "Three  raids  in  less  than  three 
months!"  It  was  enovigh  to  make  a  Union  trooper 
rabid. 

And  what  a  wonderful  raid  was  this!  what  dar- 
ing! what  consummate  "cheek!"  Even  the  bald  offi- 
cial reports  read  like  the  pages  of  romance.  looting 
McClellan's  falter  at  the  Potomac;  knowing  full 
well  how  scattered  was  the  Union  cavalry;  studying 
the  reports  unerringly  forwarded  by  Southern 
friends  at  court,  and  the  Union  commander's  excuses 
for  delay  and  pleas  for  supplies ;  reasoning  right  well 
that  he  need  dread  no  forward  movement  of  his  ad- 
versary, and  that  he  might  be  able  to  fall  upon  and 
break  up  his  trains  and  depots  of  supplies,  the  calm 
leader  of  the  Southern  lines  called  again  on  his  ready 
cavalry.  Xo  matter  how  great  the  disappointment 
that  Maryland  failed  to  welcome  him  with  open  arms 
the  month  before,  Lee  would  leave  no  stone  un- 
turned to  win  the  admiration  of  the  wavering  State 
and  strike  terror  to  his  foes.  "Xow  is  our  time,"  he 
cautioned  Stuart.  "Ride  for  Pennsylvania.  Harm 
no  soul  in  Maryland.  Disturb  no  property  there. 
Wait  till  you  get  beyond  the  line,  then  hit  hard. 
Blow  up  the  bridges  of  the  Conococheague.  Strike 
Chambersburg;  seize  all  horses  and  supplies  you  can 
use;  bum  everything  in  the  way  of  public  property 
that  you  cannot.  Parole  all  soldiers  you  can  capture, 
and  bring  away  all  civil  officials  you  can  carry,  to  be 
held  as  hostages  for  our  own.  Then  hark  back  the 
best  way  you  can, — either  westward  towards  Cum- 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  137 

berland,  where  the  foe  are  scattered  and  the  country 
is  rough  and  where  Imboden  will  demonstrate  and 
keep  them  busy  in  the  mean  time,  or  else  eastward 
across  the  Blue  Ridge,  where  the  country  lies  open  as 
a  book  but  is  swarming  with  enemies  on  every  side. 
Take  only  fifteen  hundred  picked  men  and  horses, 
then  use  your  own  discretion  and  dash." 

Oh,  what  a  thrilling  moment  for  a  soldier!  Five 
thousand  horsemen  has  he  to  choose  from,  and  he 
chooses  well.  Six  regiments  of  Virginia  cavalry  send 
forward  their  choicest  men  and  steeds.  Wade 
Hampton's  North  and  South  Carolinians  contribute 
their  quota.  Then  from  the  artillery  young  Pel- 
ham,  prince  of  gunners,  picks  four  flawless  pieces, 
overhauls  every  axle,  pole,  and  spoke.  The  iron 
arms  are  freshly  greased  till  the  new  wheels  spin  like 
glistening  tops.  Brand-new  tugs  and  traces  are 
tackled  to  the  harness,  collars  are  carefully  fitted  to 
the  necks  of  draught-horses,  chosen  from  the  best 
in  the  brigade,  and,  with  Wade  Hampton  and 
"Roony"  Lee  for  sub-commanders,  waving  silent 
good-by  to  the  envious  friends  in  the  thronging 
camps,  away  rides  Stuart,  no  man  in  all  his  dare- 
devil array  can  prophesy  whither.  "Soldiers,"  he 
says  to  them  in  a  bulletin  that  rings  like  those  of 
i^apoleon,  "you  are  about  to  engage  in  an  enterprise 
which,  to  insure  success,  imperatively  demands  at 
your  hands  coolness,  decision,  and  bravery,  implicit 
obedience  to  orders  without  question  or  cavil,  and 
the  strictest  order  and  sobriety  on  the  march  and  in 


138        THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

bivouac.  The  destination  and  extent  of  this  expedi- 
tion had  better  be  kept  to  myself  than  known  to  you. 
Suffice  it  to  say  that  with  the  hearty  co-operation  of 
officers  and  men  I  have  not  a  doubt  of  its  success, — 
a  success  which  will  reflect  credit  in  the  highest  de- 
gree upon  your  arms.  The  orders  which  are  here- 
with published  for  your  government  are  absolutely 
necessary,  and  must  be  rigidly  enforced." 

And  with  these  few  words  to  his  shadowy  com- 
mand, read  just  before  they  approach  the  Potomac, 
Stuart  leads  his  little  column  into  the  dusk  on  Thurs- 
day evening,  the  9th  of  October,  halts,  and  bivouacs 
about  the  village  of  Hedgesville  for  the  night,  with 
vedettes  well  out  in  every  direction.  Wade  Hamp- 
ton commands  the  advance,  and  from  his  detach- 
ment, six  hundred  strong,  he  chooses  an  enthusiastic 
young  officer, — Phillips,  of  the  Tenth  Virginia, — 
and  with  him  creeps  forward  under  the  shadows  of 
the  night  and  posts  him  with  twenty-five  troopers, 
dismounted,  at  the  river's  brink.  There  in  the  dark- 
ness these  devoted  fellows  keep  watch  and  ward 
through  the  midnight  hours,  undisturbed  by  hostile 
sight  or  sound.  The  plash  of  the  unseen  waters, 
drifting  by  in  the  impenetrable  gloom,  lulls  them  to 
security  and  repose,  but  sleep,  except  in  cat-naps, 
half  a  squad  at  a  time,  is  not  for  them.  One,  two 
o'clock,  the  hours  glide  away.  Three  approaches, 
and  the  young  lieutenant  calls  up  his  men,  for  a  big 
squadron  has  almost  noiselessly  moved  forward  from 
the  village  and  formed,   one  hundred  and  eighty 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  139 

strong,  close  to  the  river  bank.  It  is  the  Second 
South  Carolina,  under  Colonel  Butler,  and  his  orders 
are  clear.  Phillips,  with  his  little  partj,  is  to  wade 
the  shallow  river  just  above  McCoy's,  steal  noise- 
lessly out  upon  the  northward  bank,  and  seize  and 
secure  sufficient  ground  for  their  mounted  comrades 
to  form  as  they  issue  from  the  ford.  If  discovered 
by  the  Union  pickets,  who  are  sure  to  be  watching 
the  ferry  landing  at  McCoy's,  they  must  dash  upon 
them  instantly,  capture  them  if  possible,  or  drive 
them  back.  If  resistance  be  stubborn,  Butler  will 
lead  his  horsemen  into  the  foaming  waters  and  fol- 
low to  the  rescue.  So  in  they  go,  knee-deep,  waist- 
deep,  maybe  breast-deep  before  they  reach  the  other 
shore,  but  who  cares?  Phillips  knows  the  way,  and 
who  would  miss  the  chance  of  being  foremost  on  this 
glorious  raid!  Holding  high  their  carbines  and 
cartridge-boxes,  the  daring  Virginians  plough  their 
way,  slowly,  carefully,  until  at  last  the  lieutenant 
issues  dri^Dping  on  the  farther  shore,  and  one  after 
another  with  him  group  his  men. 

Meantime,  in  breathless  silence, — eager  riders,  ac- 
customed steeds, — Butler's  little  battalion  waits  the 
signal.  Fifteen  minutes  pass  away,  and  their  ven- 
turesome comrades  have  disappeared  from  view. 
The  Maryland  shore  looms  dim  and  shadowy 
through  the  mists  just  curling  from  the  surface  of 
the  waters  and  partially  obscuring  the  stars  that  here 
and  there  are  peeping  from  the  cloudy  heavens. 
Stuart,  too,  and  "Iloony"  Lee  have  ridden  down  to 


HO  THE  GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

the  water's  edge  to  watch  the  crossing,  and  a  long 
gray  column  is  curling  snake-like  from  the  distant 
village  towards  the  deserted  ferry.  Will  the  signal 
never  come?  It  lacks  but  a  few  minutes  of  four,  and 
not  a  sight  or  sound  has  reached  them  from  the 
northern  bank.  With  Stuart  rides  a  young  Virginia 
trooper  who  knows  every  wood  road  over  in  Washing- 
ton county,  who  is  to  guide  the  advance  on  the  rush 
through  Maryland  into  Pennsylvania.  And  even  as 
the  impatient  leader  turns  to  whisper  inquiry,  two 
faint  flashes  split  the  mists  of  the  morning.  Two, 
three,  quickly  follow.  Then  come  the  muffled  re- 
ports of  half  a  dozen  carbines.  Then  all  sounds 
from  the  farther  shore  are  drowned  in  the  dash  and 
scurry  on  the  Virginia  bank.  Into  the  stream  splash 
the  leaders,  followed  by  the  South  Carolinians  in 
long  column  of  twos,  and,  guiding  on  the  occasional 
gleams  of  musketry,  they  press  boldly  through  the 
foaming  flood,  and  so,  before  the  faint,  gray  light  of 
dawn  is  peering  over  the  Blue  Ridge,  thirty  miles 
away,  Stuart's  advance  has  pounced  on  the  aston- 
ished pickets  of  the  Twelfth  Illinois.  Then  as 
the  dawn  appears  over  the  dim  range  at  the  east, 
the  fog  rolls  thicker  from  the  stream,  and,  gray  as 
the  morning  mists,  and  well-nigh  as  silent,  the  long 
column  comes  dripping  up  the  heights,  forms  line 
in  places  along  the  crest,  then  pushes  sharp-eyed 
skirmishers  out  to  the  front  on  every  lane  or  open 
field;  and  presently  these  exploring  parties  stir  up 
other  pickets,  and  more  shots  are  exchanged,  and  the 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  141 

neighborhood  begins  to  wake  up  with  the  day,  and 
the  rear-guard  of  a  long  column  of  infantry,  march- 
ing westward  on  the  old  national  pike  a  mile  or  so 
north  of  the  river,  halts  to  find  out  what  all  that  pop- 
ping of  pistols  means  down  there  along  the  misty 
banks,  and  presently  they  find  out  indeed,  for  east, 
west,  and  south,  right,  left,  and  front,  there  come 
galloping  out  on  them  exultant  parties  of  horsemen 
in  gray  jackets  and  plumed  hats  and  the  blithest  of 
spirits, — gentlemen  who  bid  the  amazed  infantry, 
burdened  with  curiosity  and  baggage,  to  gratify  all 
they  wish  of  the  one  and  surrender  all  they've  got  of 
the  other.  Then  ]\Iajor  Hairston,  division  provost- 
marshal,  rides  up  and  receives  the  prisoners  and  ar- 
ranges for  their  parole, — Stuart  has  no  room  for 
prisoners  martial, — and  it  is  broad  daylight  when 
Pelham's  guns  come  clinking  up  the  stony  path  and 
the  advance  has  split  the  pickets  asunder,  captured 
some  horses,  and  the  guide  points  out  the  Union  sig- 
nal-station on  Fairview  Heights,  and  Hampton  sends 
a  platoon  of  horse  to  nab  the  occupants,  catching 
them  almost  unawares,  for  the  pickets,  being  so  busy 
looking  out  for  themselves,  have  forgotten  all  about 
these  lofty  parties  whose  business  it  is  to  look  out 
for  others,  and  only  in  the  nick  of  time  and  by  the 
skin  of  their  teeth  do  Lieutenants  Roe  and  Rowley 
make  their  escape  and  dash  madly  away  to  Clear 
Sirring,  three  miles  to  the  east,  and  tell  their  tale  to 
]\Iaryland  cavalrymen,  who  send  couriers  darting 
away    to    warn    General    Kenly    at    Williamsport. 


142        THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

Meantime,  the  laughing  rebs  have  made  mincemeat 
of  anything  left  at  Fairview  station,  and  the  direful 
news  of  their  coming,  instead  of  being  flagged  or 
signalled  to  Hagerstown  (where  are  Generals  Brooks 
and  Franklin  of  the  Union  armj,  with  a  whole  corps 
of  Union  troops  within  hail)  has  to  be  sent  at  a  trot 
or  gallop,  and  never  reaches  Hagerstown  until  noon; 
and,  indeed,  not  until  Roe  and  Rowley  arrive  there 
well-nigh  exhausted^  at  two  o'clock,  do  the  Union 
generals  get  full  information  that  Jeb  Stuart,  the 
redoubtable,  is  up  to  his  old  tricks  again  and  more 
than  half-way  up  to  Pennsylvania. 

Just  what  is  being  done  in  McClellan's  army  along 
the  Antietam  and  thereabouts  all  this  blessed  Oc- 
tober Iriday,  while  Stuart,  barely  twenty  miles 
away,  is  trotting  northward  to  Mercersburg,  no  one 
seems  to  know.  General  Kenly,  at  Williamsport,  as 
early  as  eight  o'clock  gets  news  of  the  crossing  from 
his  pickets,  and  declares  he  sends  it  at  once  to  Brooks 
at  Hagerstown,  but  it  has  to  go  by  courier.  Close 
by  Sharpsburg  camps  Major-General  Pleasonton, 
commander  of  the  whole  Union  cavalry  division,  but 
his  troops  are  scattered  hither  and  yon.  Close  to  the 
Potomac  at  Knoxville,  midway  between  Point  of 
Rocks  and  Harper's  Ferry,  camps  Major-General 
George  B.  McClellan,  commanding  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac,  and  though  Kenly  has  the  news  of  this  im- 
portant dash  through  our  lines  at  eight  in  the  day, 
and  all  Hagerstown  knows  the  truth  soon  after 
meridian,  sundown  comes  without  a  sign  from  head- 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  143 

quarters  of  the  army.  Indeed,  not  until  nine  at 
night,  when  Stuart's  gleeful  men  are  helping  them- 
selves to  everything  in  the  line  of  public  property 
worth  having  in  the  Pennsylvania  town,  is  an  order 
of  any  kind  issued  for  pursuit.  Incredible  as  it  may 
seem  to-day,  not  until  four  o'clock  on  Saturday 
morning,  twenty-four  hours  after  Stuart  strikes  the 
Maryland  shore,  does  Pleasonton  get  orders  to  start. 
Then  he  sends  reply  that  he  doesn't  know  where  Mc- 
Coy's Ferry  is,  that  his  command  is  very  small  be- 
cause so  many  horses  are  unshod,  but  he'll  do  the 
best  he  can  under  the  circumstances^  which  sounds 
anything  but  inspiring,  somehow.  And  then  having 
started  for  Hagerstown,  not  very  many  miles  away, 
it  takes  him  all  the  morning  to  get  there,  for  it  is 
eleven  o'clock  when  he  passes  through.  Then,  the 
enemy  by  that  time  having  gone  east  from  Cham- 
bersbnrg  towards  Gettysburg,  the  leader  of  the 
Union  horse  goes  west  from  Hagerstown  towards  the 
point  where  Stuart  crossed,  and  so  doubles  the  dis- 
tance between  him  and  the  foe. 

Yes,  all  this  while,  unmolested,  unpursued,  Stuart 
and  his  merry  men  went  raiding.  At  four  p.m.  on 
Saturday  they  had  possessed  themselves  of  the  post- 
office  and  all  government  valuables  in  Mercersburg. 
Their  horses  were  fed  and  watered,  then  on  they  go 
at  five  o'clock  in  a  thin  drizzling  rain  that  soon  soaks 
through  the  worn  gray  jackets,  but  never  damps 
their  spirits,  raiding  every  farm  and  barn  and  stable 
on  the  way,  leading  forth  every  horse  worth  having 


144  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

as  they  speed  along,  and  just  before  eight  o'clock, 
Hampton,  riding  in  the  lead,  comes  in  view  of  the 
twinkling  lights  of  Chambersbnrg,  over  forty  miles 
from  the  Potomac  by  the  way  they  came,  and  right 
in  the  heart  of  the  rich,  populous  Cumberland  Val- 
ley; and  here,  in  a  downpour,  the  silent  column 
rides  front  into  line  and  Hart  unlimbers  a  brace  of 
guns  to  command  the  ungarrisoned  town,  and  Lieu- 
tenant Lee,  of  South  Carolina^  with  a  score  of 
troopers  at  his  back,  waving  on  high  a  flag  of  truce, 
rides  forward  into  the  bewildered  little  municipality, 
only  to  find  that  every  official  has  fled  and  Cham- 
bersburg  is  at  the  mercy  of  the  South.  Away  goes  a 
battalion  up  the  Conococheague  to  burn  the  railway 
bridge  and  bar  the  coming  of  McClellan's  supplies 
or  Curtin's  Home  Guards,  but  that  bridge  is  iron, 
and  their  efforts  are  vain  in  the  limited  time  at  their 
disposal.  Hampton  is  appointed  military  governor, 
and,  officers  and  men,  the  Southern  troopers  are  bil- 
leted about  the  various  buildings  for  the  night,  while 
vigilant  pickets  cover  the  approaches  from  every 
side.  The  barns  and  granaries  are  ransacked  for  food 
for  the  hundreds  of  horses  they  have  brought  along, 
—men  in  mid-column  have  been  leading  two  and 
three  apiece  all  the  way  from  Mercersburg.  Stores 
and  groceries  drive  a  thriving  business  until  all  the 
stock  in  trade  is  trafiicked  off  for  jovial  promises  to 
pay.  Every  piano  in  the  burgh  is  "requisitioned" 
for  the  time,  and  many  a  parlor  visited  by  gentlemen 
with  muddy  boots  and  polished  manners.     Dames 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  145 

and  damsels  who  liad  no  time  to  flee  rejoice  in  secret 
over  those  who  had  to  go,  and  lost  thereby  the  most 
delightful  evening  some  of  them  have  ever  known. 
Mirth,  music,  and  soldier  song  reign  for  hours 
through  the  erstwhile  sombre,  streets  of  the  sober 
old  town,  and  the  Union  sick  and  wounded,  nabbed 
in  hospital  to  the  number  of  nearly  three  hundred 
and  paroled  on  the  spot,  sit  or  lie  and  listen  to  the 
fun,  and  wonder,  as  well  they  may,  where  on  earth 
the  Union  cavalry  are  spending  the  night,  and  when 
in  realms  unmentionable  they  propose  to  come  and 
settle  this. 

It  was  early  in  the  October  evening  that  a  little 
group  of  cavaliers  sat  drying  their  steaming  gar- 
ments about  the  great  wide  fireplace  of  an  old- 
fashioned  Pennsylvania  mansion,  and  sipping  a  most 
seductive  apple  toddy  from  the  supplies  produced 
from  the  o\vner's  cellar.  Virginia  toasted  the  Caro- 
linas;  Stuart's  own  statesmen  pledged  the  health  of 
Hampton's  men,  and  when  some  one  proposed  a 
song,  and  the  old  hound,  sprawling  in  the  corner, 
defrauded  of  his  bed  before  the  blazing  fire,  stirred 
uneasily  at  the  mournful  strains  of  that  sentimental 
lay,  "Lorena,"  one  young  gallant  threw  back  a  curly 
head  and  shouted,  "Oh,  take  a  drink,  Monty,  and 
give  us  a  fighting  song.  Floyd  Fairfax  is  the  only 
fellow  we  had  could  sing  'Lorena.'  " 

Whereat  the  officer  addressed  as  Monty  sent  his 

plumed  hat  spinning  at  the  critic's  head  and  went 

on  with  his  ditty: 

10 


146  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

"  Since  last  I  held  that  ha-and  in  mine." 

"Shut  up,  Monty.  The  only  hand  you've  had 
worth  holding  for  a  year  was  an  ace  full  that  night  at 
Manassas,  and  you  were  too  full  to  know  it  when 
Fairfax  raised  you." 

And  this  time  Monty  stopped  short,  turned  on 
his  tormentor,  and  looked  vexed. 

"See  hyuh,  gentlemen,"  said  he,  "no  man  knows 
better'n  I  do  that  singin'  ain't  my  strong  point,  but 
just  let  me  tell  you  one  thing,  if  any  of  you  want  to 
hear  Floyd  Fairfax  sing  again,  the  best  thing  you  can 
do  is  to  fetch  him  back  to  duty  with  his  troop.  The 
general  don't  talk  much,  perhaps,  but  you  ask  Price 
or  Fitzhugh  what  he  said  when  he  agreed  to  let 
that  troop  go  off  to  hunt  Floyd  Fairfax  up  at  Lees- 
burg." 

In  a  moment  the  merriment  was  stilled.  The  chat 
and  laughter  came  to  sudden  stop.  It  was  not  good 
among  those  that  followed  Stuart  that  imputation 
of  any  kind  should  attach  to  the  name  of  officer  and 
gentleman.  For  a  moment  there  was  a  silence  almost 
as  of  dismay,  then,  with  a  simulated  yawn,  out  spoke 
young  Garnett,  him  of  the  curling  black  locks. 

"Give  us  more  'Lorena,'  Monty,"  said  he,  sweetly. 
"It's  bad,  but  we'd  rather  listen  to  that.  Floyd  Fair- 
fax is — all  right." 


CHAPTER  IX. 

But  to  see  the  anxious  faces  at  that  dormer-win- 
dow of  the  Heatherwood  place  the  afternoon  that 
followed  this  conversation,  no  one  who  could  hear 
one  word  of  the  talk  between  brother  and  sister,  or 
heard  the  instructions  given  Laura  Waddell  before 
she  rode  away,  would  be  apt  to  believe  that  Floyd 
Fairfax  was  "all  right."  But  where  Lieutenant  Gar- 
nett  of  the  Virginia  Horse  meant  by  "all  right"  that 
the  absence  of  Captain  Fairfax  from  his  command  at 
this  time  was  a  matter  thoroughly  understood  by 
most  of  his  friends  to  reflect  in  no  wise  on  his  char- 
acter or  reputation,  "all  right"  with  Belle  Heather- 
wood  and  her  wounded  and  supposed  to  be  bedridden 
brother  would  have  referred  more  particularly  to  his 
physical  condition  and  surroundings.  In  the  one 
case  it  was  known  that  he  had  been  quite  seriously 
wounded  and  had  to  be  left  behind  at  Leesburg  a 
month  previous,  and  that  even  if  he  could  have  re- 
joined his  troop  by  way  of  the  gaps  through  the  Blue 
liidge,  he  was  not  yet  well  enough  for  cavalry  duty. 
What  Fitzhugh  and  others  dreaded  was  that  the 
Yankees  would  raid  Loudoun  County  again  and  carry 
him  off,  and  if  carrying  was  to  be  done,  therefore,  it 
were  better  done  by  his  own  people.  Hence  the  dash 
of  the  Fairfax  troop  to  Leesburg  only  to  find  their 

147 


148        THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

bird  had  flown,  and  that,  so  far  from  slipping  back 
to  his  colors,  he  had  limped  awaj  under  cover  of 
night  to  the  Potomac,  and,  said  a  Leesburg  cousin, 
"  'Fyou  want  to  find  Floyd  you'll  have  to  ask  Belle 
Heather  wood," — a  bit  of  feminine  acrimony  or  spite 
that  was  destined  to  harm  Floyd  Fairfax  far  more 
than  the  speaker  imagined  possible.  The  troop  had 
taken  advantage  of  the  departure  of  the  Union  cav- 
alry to  gallop  to  the  point  opposite  Heatherwood 
Towers  in  hopes  of  finding  their  friend  the  captain, 
but  Hamlin,  after  all,  had  proved  too  quick  for  them. 
They  had  ridden  back  discomfited  and  yet  rather 
well  pleased  at  their  exploit,  and  reached  the  camps 
around  Winchester  only  to  learn  that  they  had  lost 
the  chance  of  a  far  more  exciting  and  important  raid, 
— that  Stuart  was  gone  with  two  thousand  picked 
men,  and  not  a  word  had  been  heard  from  him  since 
he  disappeared  in  the  mists  of  the  morning  at  Mc- 
Coy's ford, 

"Here's  a  letter  from  Fairfax  marked  personal," 
said  one  of  the  staft'-officers  left  behind^  "brought 
in  yesterday  by  some  of  our  patrols  who  got  it  from 
an  old  nigger.  It's  addressed  to  Fitzhugh;  explains 
where  he  is,  probably,  and  what  he's  doing.  We'll 
know  as  soon  as  the  general  gets  back." 

But  Captain  Fairfax  had  taken  the  responsibility 
of  a  raid  into  Maryland  all  on  his  own  account^  all 
in  ignorance  of  that  commanded  by  his  daring 
leader,  and  though  he,  too,  might  find  out  a  good 
deal  about  the  position  and  force  and  possible  inten- 


THE  GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  ]49 

tions  of  the  enemy,  and  had  a  certain  military  pur- 
pose in  his  visit,  there  was  to  him,  indeed,  a  greater 
object,  and  that  was  to  see  the  lady  of  his  love,  his 
distant  cousin,  Belle  Ileatherwood,  and  this  was  a 
matter  difficult  of  accomplishment. 

In  her  sterling  honesty,  Madam  Heatherwood  had 
f.2cej)ted  the  guard  tendered  for  the  jDreservation  of 
her  property  and  the  favors  extended  her  wounded 
son  and  nephew  as  things  to  be  scrupulously  re- 
garded and  even  repaid.  The  fact  that  she  had  long 
and  tenderly  and  successfully  nursed  certain  Union 
wounded  after  Bull  Run  and  Ball's  Bluff  in  no  wise 
released  her,  she  held,  from  the  debt  of  gratitude  she 
now  owed  the  general  government.  Xot  only  did 
she  observe  strict  neutrality  herself,  but  she  de- 
manded it  of  the  inmates  of  her  household.  Her 
son  being  flat  on  his  back,  as  she  declared  and  be- 
lieved, no  disobedience  was  to  be  apprehended  from 
him.  Young  Tighlman,  high-spirited  and  impatient, 
proved  less  tractable,  but  Belle,  "my  beauty 
daughter,"  as  her  fond  father  had  called  her  in  her 
girl  days,  and  as  the  proud  mother  so  often  thought 
of  her  now,  was  Southern  in  temperament  as  she  was 
in  sympathy,  and  Ralph's  descriptive  fully  covered 
the  case  when  he  referred  to  her  as  a  ''red-hot  rebel." 

Baltimore  associations  had  much  to  do  with  this, 
but  by  no  means  all.  Even  in  school-days,  excepting 
one  or  two  friends  like  Florence  Lowndes,  all  her 
chums  were  Southern  girls.  Many  of  her  vacations 
were  spent  visiting  charming  old  Southern  homes. 


150  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

It  was  not  until  a  year  or  so  before  the  outbreak  of 
the  war  that  she  saw  anything  whatever  of  I^Torthern 
society,  and  she  found  it,  as  compared  with  that  she 
had  known  so  well  and  loved  so  much,  somewhat 
stiff,  if  not  indeed  humdrum.  She  was  a  girl  with 
innate  love  of  truth,  honor,  and  courage  in  man  or 
Avoman.  She  had  pride  of  birth  and  name  and 
beauty.  The  men  her  father  had  best  known  and 
loved  were  of  the  old  cavalier  stock,  and  from  her 
baby  days,  almost,  she  had  most  admired  such  as  he, 
men  of  grave,  courteous,  chivalric  dignity  of  man- 
ner. Years  of  her  life,  it  seems,  she  had  known  Gen- 
eral Lee.  Three  years  ago  this  very  month,  she  re- 
membered it  well,  he  and  his  young  associate.  Lieu- 
tenant Stuart,  were  entertained  at  Heatherwood, 
both  in  the  uniform  of  the  old  army,  for  there  had 
been  stirring  events  at  Harper's  Ferry.  A  I^orthern 
fanatic,  an  abolitionist,  backed  by  men  misguided 
and  fanatical  like  himself,  had  hidden  in  the  fast- 
nesses of  the  grand  range  to  the  west,  and  begun  a 
secret  and  wicked  crusade  that  was  to  array  the 
blacks  against  their  masters,  to  promote  insurrection 
and  rebellion,  to  place  in  negro  hands  the  sword  and 
the  torch,  and  bid  them  kill,  burn,  and  destroy  to  win 
their  freedom.  She  had  never  forgotten  the  dread 
and  horror  with  which  they  heard  of  Ossawattomie 
Brown's  mad  attemjot  at  Harper's  Ferry,  followed 
by  the  uprising,  not  of  the  blacks,  but  of  the  whites 
against  him, — the  bloody  fight  at  the  old  engine- 
house.  United  States  troops  against  the  rash  invaders. 


THE  GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  151 

Then  came  tlie  capture  of  the  wounded  old  man,  his 
trial  at  Charlestown,  the  mustering  of  the  Virginia 
militia,  far  and  near,  to  attend  his  execution. 
"Bloody  miscreant,"  she  heard  him  called  by  every 
woman  except  her  gentle  mother,  as  the  sad,  dreamy, 
friendless  old  soul  was  led  to  the  scaffold.  But  there 
were  men  even  then  who  looked  grave  and  thought- 
ful, who  read  in  that  first  feeble  kindling  of  the 
flame  the  unerring  preface  to  the  great  proclama- 
tion that,  springing  from  the  blood  of  battling  hosts 
that  reddened  the  tide  lapping  the  base  of  those  very 
heights,  should  soon  sweep  the  land  like  a  tornado, 
driving  slavery  before  it.  Three  years  before,  the 
arms  of  the  United  States  were  turned  on  him  who 
drove  the  entering  wedge  of  abolition  through  the 
mighty  rocks  here  within  sight  of  her  ancestral 
home,  and  now  ten  thousand  freemen  in  the  Union 
blue  were  risen  up  for  every  soldier  there  employed. 
Obedient  to  the  laws,  as  then  interpreted,  the  disci- 
plined strength  of  that  little  party  of  regulars  had 
been  hurled  against  that  improvised  fort,  and  John 
Brown's  worn  old  body  was  sent  to  moulder  in  the 
grave.  Yet  here,  day  after  day,  in  that  same  uni- 
form, thousands  of  soldiery,  lusty  lunged,  tramped 
by  their  very  gates  proclaiming  to  the  world  his  soul 
was  marching  on.  John  Brown  struck  the  spark 
from  the  rocks  at  Harper's  Ferry,  and  Abraham 
Lincoln  loosed  a  whirlwind  of  cleansing  fires,  a 
thank-offering  from  the  bluffs  of  the  Antietam. 
Here  within  hail  of  Heatherwood  the  initial  shot  of 


152  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

an  immortal  struggle  echoed  from  shore  to  shore  of 
an  inland  river.  Here  within  hail  of  Heatherwood 
was  fought  the  tremendous  battle  whose  issue  was 
the  immortal  proclamation  now  echoing  from  shore 
to  shore  of  the  fathomless  sea. 

There  were  no  grave,  courteous,  cavalier  soldiers 
of  Virginia  now  to  stand  in  stately  pose  on  the  old 
porticoj  as  Lee  and  Stuart  had  stood  in  days  gone  by. 
Ralph  and  Cousin  Tighlman  looked  far  from  stately 
when  lifted  out  of  the  ambulance  that  September 
afternoon  and  borne  aloft  to  comfortable  beds.  The 
Union  officers  who  called  to  see  her  mother  on  busi- 
ness, or  to  inquire  for  the  welfare  of  the  household 
of  a  long-loved  comrade.  Belle  rarely  saw.  Belle's 
heart  was  hot  against  that  uniform,  ever  since  the 
spring  of  '61,  until  circumstances  occurred  to  render 
it  bearable  within  the  week  gone  by.  Colonel  Clark 
and  Lieutenant  Ilomans  she  had  seen  only  when 
she  chose  to  peer  through  the  blinds.  All  her  atten- 
tions and  devotions  had  been  given,  since  the  battle 
of  South  Mountain,  to  those  two  wounded,  but  most 
importunate  and  dissatisfied  heroes  in  the  second 
story,  both  wild  to  get  well,  get  exchanged,  and  back 
to  their  regiments.  Both  had  to  be  entertained  and, 
harder  still,  to  be  kept  in  subjection.  Both  were 
doing  well,  thanks  to  tough  constitutions  and  unim- 
paired digestion,  and  both  demanded  items  of  food 
and  drink  either  forbidden  or  beyond  their  reach. 
Mrs.  Heatherwood,  of  course,  spent  much  time  with 
Ipoth,  but  she  was  neither  strong  nor  well.     Her 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  153 

daughter  was  lier  mainstay  about  the  house,  backed 
bj  two  old  family  servants,  and  now  within  the 
month  Laura  had  been  added  to  her  cares  when 
Laura  was  quite  able,  so  she  said,  to  take  care  of  her- 
self. 

That  child's  spirits  seemed  irrepressible.  She  had 
not  been  at  Heatherwood  a  day  before  she  renewed 
her  acquaintance  with  every  feature,  taking  especial 
comfort  in  the  barn,  wherein  she  had  had  so  many  a 
frolic  as  a  child,  and  in  the  orchard^  which,  despite 
its  denuded  condition  as  to  fruity  proved  full  of  en- 
tertainment for  her  from  the  day  of  her  arrival, 
mainly  because  it  seemed  to  attract  every  Yankee 
straggler  who  could  elude  the  vigilance  of  the 
guards.  Just  when  she  first  met  and  captured  Pet- 
tingill  the  household  never  knew,  but  he  never  for- 
got. He  became  her  devotee  from  the  start,  and  she 
knew  it.  She  cajoled,  tormented,  snubbed,  and 
wheedled  him  by  turns,  but  in  simple  faith  he  never 
wavered.  Him  she  questioned  when  she  wanted  in- 
formation, and,  if  he  could  not  give  it,  hectored  him 
until  he  went  and  found  out  what  she  demanded  to 
know.  Speedily  discovering  that  Madam  Heather- 
wood  was  averse  to  anything  that  might  prejudice 
her  observance  of  a  strict  neutrality,  Laura  carried 
all  she  learned  to  her  city-bred  cousin,  whom  she 
admired  and  looked  up  to  as  a  woman  without  a  peer. 
To  Belle  she  was  fidelity  itself.  Her  will  was  law. 
Her  wishes  went  unchallenged,  even  when  it  pres- 
ently developed  that  something  was  agog  tq  which 


154         THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

Aunty  Heatherwood  was  not  a  party,  and  the  full 
nature  of  which  Laura  herself  was  not  permitted  to 
know. 

Letters  came  a  few  days  after  her  arrival,  one  of 
which  caused  Cousin  Belle  an  access  of  excitement. 
That  night  Laura  was  excluded  from  her  cousin's 
room,  and,  wandering  into  the  orchard  for  refuge,  she 
was  startled  by  the  appearance  of  a  light  in  a  window 
where  no  light  was  known  to  be  before,  the  west 
dormer  on  the  south  front.  Who  on  earth  would 
be  in  the  garret  now?  Then  the  light  suddenly 
went  out,  or  disappeared,  then  as  suddenly  flamed 
again,  and  that  was  odder  still.  Half  a  dozen 
times  it  gleamed  a  moment,  then  disappeared,  and 
Laura  was  keen-witted  enough  to  know  that  some 
one  must  be  signalling  over  to  the  Virginia  shore. 
Later,  on  sunshiny  afternoons,  she  had  twice  seen 
Belle  there  at  that  window,  and  finally  had  openly 
charged  her  cousin  with  carrying  on  c6mmunication 
with  somebody. 

''[N'ot  that  I  object,"  said  Miss  Waddell.  "I  just 
love  it;    only  you  needn't  try  to  hide  it  from  me." 

So  they  did  not,  thereafter.  Belle  frankly  told 
her  cousin,  binding  her  to  secrecy,  that  Captain 
Floyd  Fairfax,  who  had  been  left  wounded  at  Lees- 
burg,  was  now  so  far  recovered  that  he  had  written 
by  a  trusty  hand  to  say  that  before  he  rejoined  his 
troop  he  was  going  to  make  an  effort  to  cross,  as  he 
must  see  Ralph  and  Tighlman,  if  only  for  half  an 
hour,  and  must  visit  some  friends  at  Poolesville.    He 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  155 

would  be  disguised,  and  the  experiment  was  hazard- 
ous, said  Belle,  but  Fairfax  had  ever  been  a  dare- 
devil. They  could  not  write  to  dissuade  liim, — it 
was  unsafe.  Yet  they  had  managed  to  send  a  mes- 
sage to  him,  verbally,  but  all  to  no  purpose.  He 
had  devised  a  system  of  signals  which  he  wished  to 
teach  them,  and  already  was  able  to  warn  them  what 
night  to  expect  him.  Just  two  nights  before  this 
stirring  and  eventful  Saturday,  now  drawing  to  a 
close,  a  Maryland  farmer  appeared  at  the  kitchen 
door  and  asked  for  Miss  Heatherwood,  and  the 
moment  she  entered  and  caught  sight  of  the  shaggy- 
haired,  heavy-bearded,  rough-looking  rustic  standing- 
there  so  awkwardly,  she  asked  if  he  had  brought  her 
a  message  or  letter,  then  suddenly  burst  into  hysteri- 
cal laughter  that  ended  in  a  sort  of  cry  as  she  sat 
down  on  a  bench,  "shaking  all  over,"  said  Laura, 
when,  long  afterwards,  she  could  dispassionately  de- 
scribe the  events  of  that  October  week  at  Heather- 
wood,  and  her  version  may  safely  be  adopted  now. 
"The  farmer,"  said  she,  "began  to  chuckle_,"  and 
Laura  was  on  the  point  of  snapping  at  him  for  want 
of  manners,  when  the  whole  situation  dawned  upon 
her.  That  farmer  was  Floyd  Fairfax,  and  she  was 
much  de  trop.  They  dared  not  let  Madam  Heather- 
wood  know  of  his  presence.  She  liked  him  well,  but 
would  have  no  unauthorized  communication  with  the 
enemies  of  the  United  States,  and  not  until  after  she 
had  kissed  her  son  and  nephew  good-night  and  re- 
tired to  her  own  room  dare  they  pilot  the  visitor  up 


156         THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

to  Ralph's  bedside,  where,  said  Laura,  "he,  too, 
nearly  died  laughing  at  the  queer  figure  Fairfax 
made."  But  what  the  captain  wanted  of  Ralph  and 
Tighlman  could  not  amount  to  much,  thought  she, 
for  he  only  spent  twenty  minutes  talking  to  them, 
while  for  hours  he  was  hanging  around  for  a  chance 
to  whisper  to  Belle,  who  seemed  none  too  eager  to 
give  him  opportunity,  for  that  same  night  there  came 
to  the  house  that  Yankee  soldier,  covered  with  dust 
and  dirt,  "a  soldier  who  knew  the  ways  of  the  place, 
if  he  didn't  know  how  to  be  polite  to  ladies,"  said 
Miss  Waddell,  airily,  in  referring  to  the  matter  later. 
He  rode  to  the  barn  by  the  back  way  and  watered 
and  fed  his  horse  and  then  brought  his  saddle  and 
saddle-bags  straight  to  the  kitchen  door  and  asked 
Aunt  Chloe,  who  was  cooking,  please  to  take  a  note 
to  ]\Iiss  Belle,  which  he  scribbled  on  a  piece  of  paper, 
and  Chloe  said  Miss  Belle  jumped  up  and  turned 
four  kinds  of  colors  inside  a  minute  and  ran  down 
the  back  stairs  ahead  of  her,  and  Chloe  could  have 
sworn  Belle  was  crying  and  "all  trembling  like" 
when  she  reached  the  kitchen.  (All  which  was  just 
what  Aunt  Chloe  told  her,  rather  than  let  Laura  be- 
lieve her  cousin  awaiting,  as  she  was,  that  Yankee's 
coming.)  And  then  the  Yankee  was  shown  to  a 
room  on  the  first  floor,  a  room  that  had  been  kept 
locked  ever  since,  and  there  Aunty  Heatherwood 
went  and  had  a  long  talk  with  him,  and  there  he 
stayed  all  that  night  and  all  the  next  day  and  night 
(so  Laura  believed),  and  had  his  meals  taken  in  to  him 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  157 

by  Aunt  Heatherwood  herself,  Chloe  said  so,  because 
he  was  worn  out  and  dead  tired,  poor  soul,  and  in 
some  trouble,  too,  because  first  thing  Saturday  morn- 
ing thej  had  sentries  round  the  house  and  Yankee 
officers  came  there  and  arrested  this  same  soldier  just 
as  he  was  sneaking  awav  with  his  saddle-bags,  never 
saying  good-by,  and  Belle  wouldn't  tell  Laura  any- 
thing about  "that  fella,"  and  only  blushed  and 
laughed  when  Laura  asked  her  who  was  the  hand- 
some Yankee  officer  who  called  on  her  the  previous 
afternoon,  and  rode  away  with  Mr.  Homans  just  be- 
fore the  fighting  began.  Laura  was  devoured  with 
curiosity  about  that  cavalry  officer,  but  all  Belle 
would  tell  her  was  that  he  was  an  old  friend  who  had 
rendered  her  mother  great  service  in  the  past,  and 
that  she  should  know  all  about  him  soon,  but  not 
just  now,  not  until  they  had  got  Floyd  Fairfax  out 
of  his  scrape,  for  scrape  he  was  surely  in. 

He  had  come  to  the  house  Thursday  night  in  his 
farmer's  garb,  and  had  declared  his  intention  of  com- 
ing Friday  night,  too,  and  Belle  was  fearfully  ner- 
vous and  anxious,  doubly  so,  because  she  dared  not 
let  her  mother  know  of  his  purpose.  Once  before, 
when  Floyd  had  sent  word  to  the  mistress  of 
Heatherwood  that  he  should  call  whenever  the  for- 
tunes of  war  brought  him  to  Maryland,  she  urged 
him  to  refrain,  and  after  Kalph  was  brought  home 
wounded  she  sent  a  letter  to  Leesburg,  warning  Fair- 
fax that  her  doors  would  not  be  open  to  him.  But 
Ralph  refused  to  be  guided  by  his  mother  in  the  mat- 


158         THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

ter  and  secretly  rebelled.  He  urged  Floyd  to  come 
on  that  Friday  night,  j^romising  to  have  certain  let- 
ters ready  for  him  then,  and  Floyd  had  eagerly 
agreed.  But  that  afternoon,  as  we  know,  there  came 
the  Fairfax  troop  and  the  si^irited  fight  with  Ham- 
lin's men,  and  later  old  Foulweather.  And  over 
towards  Poolesville  the  lurking  soldier  got  word  that 
Heatherwood  was  surrounded  by  searching  parties 
and  suspicious  officers.  His  presence  in  the  neigh- 
borhood was  reported,  and  the  sooner  he  got  back  to 
Virginia  the  better.  He  planned  to  go  this  very 
Saturday  night,  taking  Heatherwood  on  his  way,  but 
long  before  the  October  gloaming  came,  chill  and 
cheerless,  there  reached  him  a  farmer's  boy,  who 
whisj)ered  that  Laura  Waddell  rode  out  as  far  as  the 
White's  Ford  road  to  tell  him  the  Yankee  caA^alry 
were  hurrying  north  from  Clark's  Gap,  hard  as  they 
could  come,  and  he  must  "lay  low,"  and  half  an  hour 
later  there  came  tidings  that  thrilled  him  to  the  mar- 
row with  exultation^  envy,  and  anxiety  all  in  one, 
tidings  that  Jeb  Stuart  had  dashed  through  the 
Union  lines  away  up  to  Pennsylvania,  had  "burned 
the  stores  in  Chambersburg  and  Gettysburg,"  and 
now  was  coming  south  for  all  he  was  worth,  and 
every  Yankee  from  Washington  to  Cumberland  was 
in  saddle  or  under  arms  in  hopes  of  catching  him. 
Before  the  sun  went  down  behind  the  Loudoun  the 
roads  to  White's  Ford  and  to  the  Monocacy  were 
thronged  with  guns  and  infantry,  hurrying  west. 
The  northward  lanes  were  alive  vnth  patrols  of  horse, 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  159 

all  hastening  forth  to  meet  and  check  the  daring 
raider,  and  no  sooner  had  night  spread  her  wings 
over  the  lovely  rural  landscape  east  of  the  Catoctins 
than  from  every  signal-tower  along  the  range  and 
from  Sugar  Loaf,  far  over  northeast  of  Heatherwood, 
the  flaring  torches  began  to  wave  and  circle  through 
the  darkness,  and  concealment  in  a  country  barn 
became  torment.  Win  or  lose,  Floyd  Fairfax  swore 
he'd  meet  and  join  his  beloved  chief  and  comrades, 
as  back  they  came,  boring  their  way  through  the 
meshes  of  the  Yankee  net, — or  would  die  in  trying  it. 


CHAPTER  X. 

But  Heatherwood  was  destined  to  know  more 
than  one  excitement  that  never-to-be-forgotten  Sat- 
urday, It  was  barely  three  o'clock  when  old  Dobbin 
went  straddling  and  stumbling  down  the  drive,  an 
eager-eyed  Virginia  girl  urging  him  on,  and  the 
clouds  that  earlier  had  hung  over  the  Catoctins  to 
the  northwest^  and  had  laid  the  dust  in  lower  Penn- 
sylvania for  the  benefit  of  Stuart's  men,  now  began 
to  obscure  the  face  of  the  declining  sun  and  put  an 
end  to  the  occasional  flashes  at  the  dormer-window. 
As  a  system  of  signalling  it  was  crude  and  uncertain 
at  best,  pursued  by  Belle  Heatherwood  and  her  con- 
valescing brother  more  for  the  sake  of  doing  that 
which  might  "worry  the  Yankees"  than  to  convey 
information  of  value  to  their  foes.  Indeed,  it  was 
only  occasionally  that  the  flash  thrown  from  Belle's 
little  hand-mirror  went  with  such  accuracy  as  to  as- 
sure its  being  seen  by  the  occupant  of  the  cabin  on 
the  distant  crest  of  the  Virginia  Kittoctans.  From 
that  point,  however,  when  the  sun  was  dropping 
to  the  Loudoun,  flashes  could  be  thrown  into  the 
westward  valley  with  much  ease,  and  lively  spirits 
at  Leesburg,  where  were  still  some  ten  score 
wounded,  conceived  the  idea  of  opening  signal  com- 
munication with  Heatherwoodj  and  it  was  this  that 
160 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  161 

Floyd  Fairfax  was  striving  to  develop  into  some- 
thing of  value.  Thus  far,  however,  the  only  infor- 
mation conveyed  from  Heatherwood  was  that  some 
of  its  occupants  were  actually  in  that  west  dormer- 
window  and  on  watch, — Belle's  flashes,  though  bril- 
liant at  times,  being  too  erratic  to  be  valuable.  But 
Floyd  had  left  w^ith  her  now  an  ordinary  school  copy- 
book filled  through  several  pages  vnih.  a  system  by 
which  they  of  Virginia  could  convey  tidings  to  the 
Maryland  shore, — principally  with  candles  or  lan- 
terns at  night  and  the  rising  or  falling  of  a  white 
window-curtain  by  day.  The  night  lights  that  Laura 
had  noted  were  largely  experimental,  for  not  until 
Floyd's  coming  had  they  possessed  anything  like  a 
signal-code.  !N^ow  Miss  Heatherwood  had  one,  and 
the  question  was,  could  Ralph,  a  paroled  and 
wounded  prisoner,  be  justified  in  using  it? 

Together  they  had  translated  the  meaning  of  the 
wavings  that  came  to  the  window  from  the  little 
cabin  on  the  Kittoctan  top  earlier  that  afternoon, 
though  repetitions  were  necessary,  and  the  ultimate 
translation  was  much  facilitated  by  the  sudden  ap- 
pearance of  dust  clouds  issuing  from  Clark's  Gap. 
The  rain  that  had  favored  Stuart  a  hundred  miles 
northward  had  not  yet  begun  to  soften  the  roads 
across  the  Potomac. 

But  that  they  should  know  that  the  Union  cavalry 
was  coming,  and  coming  fast,  long  before  any  cav- 
alry could  be  seen,  had  in  itself  a  mysterious  and 

powerful  fascination  for  Belle.     She  clung  there  to 

11 


162  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

the  window-ledge  after  sending  Laura  on  her  mis- 
sion, and  with  eager  eyes  studied  the  distant  wooded 
heights  and  prayed  fervently  for  more  news,  good 
news.  Ohj  if  that  sudden  withdrawal  of  the  Union 
squadrons  could  only  mean  that  Stuart  was  at  their 
heels,  driving  them  into  the  Potomac ! 

Wearied  in  his  weak  condition,  Ralph  had  stolen 
back  to  his  own  room,  urging  Belle  to  report  to  him 
should  anything  further  be  signalled  requiring  his 
interpretation.  It  was  the  hour  at  which,  ordinarily, 
Mrs.  Heatherwood  took  her  siesta,  the  only  hour 
during  the  day  in  which  he  could  leave  his  room 
without  every  probability  of  her  knowing  it  at  once. 
From  morning  until  noon,  and  again  from  four  until 
ten  at  night,  the  devoted  woman  was  almost  con- 
stantly at  his  side  or  that  of  Tighlman  in  the  adjoin- 
ing and  communicating  room.  There  had  been  a 
time  in  the  not  very  distant  past  when  this  young 
Marylander  was  looking  with  eyes  of  more  than 
cousinly  love  on  the  beautiful  face  of  his  kinswoman, 
but  tidings  of  Jack  Lowndes's  devotions,  and  later  of 
the  presence  of  Floyd  Fairfax,  had  precipitated  an 
avowal,  and  more  sieges  are  lost  in  love  by  striking 
too  quick  than  too  slow.  Belle  had  refused  him, 
kindly  and  affectionately,  had  consoled  him  with  the 
customary  offer  to  be  a  sister  to  him,  which  he  de- 
clined with  thanks,  being  already  overburdened  with 
such  near  relatives,  and  had  gone  off  to  Europe  in  a 
Cunarder  and  a  huff,  only  to  be  recalled  by  the  up- 
rising of  the  South,  whose  cause  he  eagerly  em- 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  163 

braced,  was  appointed  an  aide-de-camp  on  Ewell's 
staff  the  first  winter  of  the  war,  and  rode  with  that 
grim  fighter  until  the  Maryland  campaign,  when 
Ewell,  minus  the  leg  he  lost  tackling  the  Yankees 
along  the  Warrenton  Pike  the  evening  of  the  28th 
of  August,  was  left  behind  to  repair  damages.  Tighl- 
man  came  on  with  the  division,  was  assigned  to  other 
staff  duty,  and  as  luck  would  have  it  met  his  cousin 
Heatherwood  and  a  hostile  bullet  almost  at  the  same 
moment  in  the  defense  of  the  Gaps  before  Antietam. 
Xow  he  was  once  more  under  Heatherwood's  roof, 
his  nearest  kin  having  all  gone  South,  and  was  feel- 
ing very  sore  in  spirit,  very  much  aggrieved  indeed, 
all  because  Belle  had  told  him  the  year  before  that 
he  would  soon  get  over  his  fancy  and  would  fall  in 
love  with  a  girl  who  could  thoroughly  appreciate  all 
his  good  qualities.  Tighlman  had  sworn  in  Decem- 
ber he  could  never  do  either,  and  by  April  had  done 
both.  So  there  he  was  at  Heatherwood,  wounded 
in  body  and  in  spirit.  At  no  time  does  a  man  feel 
much  more  like  an  ass  than  when  he  has  to  spend 
hour  after  hour  in  the  presence  of  the  woman  who, 
with  perfect  good  humor,  has  prophesied  that  he 
would  speedily  forget  his  infatuation  for  her,  and 
whom  he  finds  to  have  prophesied  exactly  right. 
There  lay  Captain  Tighlman,  forced  to  look  lugu- 
brious and  sigh  whenever  Belle  came  fluttering  into 
the  room  in  order  to  convince  her  she  had  done  him 
injustice  in  declaring  him  so  light-minded,  when  all 
the  time  he  knew  his  heart  was  irrevocably  bound 


164        THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

up  in  a  dear  little  Georgia  girl  near  whom  he  had 
spent  long  weeks  abroad.  What  would  Captain 
Tighlman  say  had  he  seen  Belle  Heatherwood  kiss- 
ing a  Yankee  officer?  Miss  Waddell  had  indignantly 
asked;  and  while  Miss  Heatherwood  had  done  noth- 
ing of  the  kind,  but  had  only  tremblingly  inclined 
her  forehead  towards  the  pleading  lips  of  that  hand- 
some unknown,  it  may  be  safely  said  that  Captain 
Tighlman  would  have  felt  no  jealousy  other  than 
that  aroused  by  the  question  of  uniform. 

He  was  in  a  peevish  and  fretful  mood,  however, 
and  disposed  to  sympathize  with  his  comrade's  eager- 
ness to  be  up  and  away,  even  on  this  gloomy  Octo- 
ber afternoon,  when  the  rain  began  to  patter  about 
the  old  house  and  strike  the  frost-bitten  leaves  from 
their  feeble  hold  on  the  stiffening  branches.  But  he 
started  up  in  bed,  leaned  on  his  elbow,  and  gazed 
eagerly  as  Heatherwood  came  limping  in,  whisper- 

"There's  fun  ahead.  Brad.  Something's  up !  I'm 
blessed  if  I  can  tell  what,  but  they're  waving  like 
mad  up  on  Sugar  Loaf.  The  troops  down  by  the 
aqueduct  are  all  under  arms.  The  Yanks  are  mus- 
tering on  every  road, — guns,  cavalry,  and  infantry. 
They're  all  coming  this  way." 

"My  God!  Can  they  have  found  out  about  Fair- 
fax?"   asked  Tighlman. 

"That  wouldn't  stir  up  all  the  troops  in  Mary- 
land," was  the  answer.  "With  my  glasses  you  can 
see  away  over  towards  Poolesville.     There  are  three 


THE  GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  165 

or  four  regiments  moving  ont  on  the  road,  and  a 
dozen  squadrons.  Others  are  coming  now  from  Point 
of  Rocks,  and  the  old  regiment,  by  gad,  is  coming 
up  the  Kittoctan  at  a  trot,  heading  for  White's  Ford. 
What  can  have  happened,  do  you  think?  Can  it  be 
Stuart  again?" 

And  just  as  he  spoke,  clear  and  shrill  the  voice  of 
Laura  Waddell  was  heard  from  underneath  the  win- 
dows: 

"Cousin  Ralph!  Cousin  Ralph!  Can  you  hear 
me?  Such  wonderful  news!  I  heard  all  the  Yanks 
talking  about  it.  Stuart's  rode  all  around  them 
again  and  is  up  in  Pennsylvania  now,  and  he's  going 
to  burn  Baltimore  and  Washington,  and  they're  all 
out  there  to  catch  him, — the  whole  pack.  Ain't  it 
splendid?" 

"Sh-sh,  Laura.  Be  quiet,  child.  You'll  wake 
mother,"  was  the  loud  stage  whisper  with  which 
Captain  Heatherwood  greeted  this  thrilling  an- 
nouncement, as  his  haggard  face,  quivering  with  ex- 
citement, appeared  at  the  window.  "Come  up  here, 
quick,  and  tell  us  all  about  it. — My  God,  Brad! 
Think  of  it.  Stuart  raiding  through  Pennsylvania 
and  we  here  crippled  and  paroled!" 

"Parole  be  damned!"  was  the  mad  reply,  as  Tighl- 
man  straightened  up  in  bed.  "They'll  come  back 
this  way,  like  as  not,  and  no  parole  counts  in  case  of 
recapture.  All  we've  got  to  do  is  to  be  up  and  ready 
to  ride.  Shut  that  door!"  he  cried,  as  the  sound  of 
quick,  light  footsteps  was  heard  in  the  hall  without, 


1G6         THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

and  Heatherwood  hobbled  to  the  threshold  all  too 
late.  There,  her  face  aflame  with  excitement,  stood 
Belle,  and  it  was  plain  to  see  that  she  had  heard  her 
cousin's  words. 

"Ralph,"  she  pleaded,  laying  her  hands  on  her 
brother's  arm,  and  speaking  low,  hurriedly,  "you 
surely  cannot  think  of  such  a  thing  as  attempting  to 
leave  this  house  until  you  are  thoroughly  well. 
You're  weak  as  a  child  yet, — both  of  you.  You're 
not  fit  to  stir.  It  would  bring  on  fever  again,  or  re- 
open your  wound." 

He  placed  his  hand  upon  her  lips  and  strove  to 
check  her,  "Hush!  Mother  must  not  hear.  She 
must  not  be  wakened,"  he  whispered,  but  already 
Laura  was  pattering  up  the  stairs,  dancing  mth  joy 
and  excitement.  She  rushed  upon  them,  clapping 
her  hands. 

"It's  true!  it's  true!"  she  cried,  hugging  Belle  in 
her  delight.  "Pettingill's  out  there  in  the  orchard 
now;  says  he  had  to  come  up  and  see  me — just 
think  of  it — before  he  marched  to  battle.  Just  as  if 
I  cared.  He's  got  on  all  his  fixings,  knapsack  and 
things,  and  looks  like  he  wanted  to  cry;  says  they're 
ordered  to  be  ready  to  march  just  as  soon  as  the  re- 
lief guard  comes,  and  they  are  coming  over  the 
Monocacy  now.  He  says  they're  going  to  cover  the 
whole  country  with  Yankees,  and  I  told  him  he 
needn't  trouble  himself,  Jeb  Stuart  'd  cover  the 
ground  with  'em  three  deep  wherever  he  goes."  It 
was  impossible  to  check  the  wild  exuberance  of  the 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  167 

girl's  outbreak.  She  danced  about  the  hall,  a  buxom 
imp,  until  Heatherwood  seized  her  and  clapped  his 
thin  hand  over  the  rosy  mouth. 

"Quiet,  child!  Mother  must  not  hear  this  yet," 
he  ordered.  But  she  shook  herself  free  in  an  instant, 
her  rustic  health  and  strength  far  outmatching  his 
enfeebled  muscles. 

"Aunty  ?  Why,  she's  heard  it !  She's  out  there  on 
the  gallery  now,  talking  with  Colonel  Clark.  He's 
just  ridden  up  with  that  stiffy  Homans,  comin'  to  tell 
her  there's  to  be  another  guard.  Guess  we  can  take 
care  of  ourselves  now,  and  I  just  wanted  a  chance  to 
tell  him  he'd  better  look  out  for  his  own  crowd." 
And  shaking  the  rain  out  of  her  shining  hair,  the 
girl  went  dancing  and  springing  and  gamboling  up 
and  down  the  wide  hall  in  wild  exultation  and  de- 
light, just  as  there  appeared,  coming  slowly  up  the 
stairs,  her  sad,  placid,  beautiful  face  clouded  with 
new  care  and  trouble,  the  beloved  mistress  of 
Heatherwood.  At  sight  of  her  and  the  gentle  re- 
buke in  her  eyes,  the  girl  almost  instantly  checked 
her  mad  whirling  and  ran  to  aid  her.  Heatherwood, 
hearing  Tighlman's  voice,  had  for  the  moment 
turned  to  look  within  the  room,  and  did  not  see  her. 
When  he  reappeared  it  was  to  be  confronted  by  his 
mother,  amaze,  distress,  and  deep  anxiety  in  her 
gaze,  all  giving  way  to  utter  dismay  as  the  door 
swung  open  and  there,  leaning  feebly  against  the 
casement  for  support,  pale  with  exhaustion,  yet  with 
excitement  and  resolution  firing  his  eyes,  there  in 
his  Confederate  uniform,  stood  Bradley  Tighlman. 


168         THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

Mrs.  Heatherwood  was  first  to  speak, 
'"In  God's  name,  my  boy,  what  does  this  mean?" 
"It  means  that  Stuart  is  coming,  aunty,"  faltered 
Tighlman,  almost  gasping  for  breath.  "It  means 
that  he  is  sure  to  come  this  way,  that  we  can  be  re- 
captured, and,  well  or  wounded,  every  soldier  of  the 
South  must  be  ready  to  follow." 

"JSTot  from  this  roof,"  she  answered,  solemnly. 
"Not  so  long  as  that  parole  lasts.  You  pledged  your 
soldier  honor  never  to  take  up  arms  or  render  any 
service  against  the  United  States  until  properly  ex- 
changed, and  every  soldier,  ISTorth  or  South,  must 
stand  by  his  soldier  word. — Help  him  off  with  that 
uniform,  Ealph.  Then  back  to  your  beds,  both  of 
you,"  she  ordered,  almost  as  though  it  were  ten 
years  gone  by  and  in  their  boyish  days  again,  "and 
stay  there  until  you're  dragged  out  by  Stuart's  men, 
for  if  by  word,  sign,  or  deed  you  attempt  to  com- 
municate with  Stuart's  command,  as  God  is  my 
judge,  I'll  surrender  you  both  to  the  Federal 
guards." 


CHAPTER  XI. 

The  sun  was  still  an  hour  high,  invisible  through 
the  rain-clouds  that  hung  dripping  along  the  crest  of 
the  Catoctins  and  the  opposite  heights  of  Loudoun, 
when  the  New  Hampshire  men  were  relieved  of  the 
care  of  the  aqueduct  and  the  empty  ditch  of  the 
canal  by  the  arrival  of  a  brace  of  battalions  from  the 
Pine-Tree  State,  and  Clark,  pursuant  to  his  orders, 
left  his  tents  standing  in  the  grove  and  marched 
away  with  his  long  blue  column,  gathering  up  the 
guard  under  Heatherwood  Towers,  the  solemn-faced 
Ilomans  and  the  reluctant  Pettingill  with  the  rest. 

"Remember,"  said  he,  to  the  commander  of  the 
Maine  contingent,  "we  leave  our  heavy  baggage  with 
our  tents  under  your  charge.  This  thing  will  be 
settled,  probably,  within  twelve  hours.  If  Stuart 
comes  this  way  we  may  reasonably  expect  to  beat 
him  back  until  the  cavalry  surround  him.  If  he 
goes  far  to  the  east  or  turns  to  the  west,  we  won't  be 
needed  and  vnll  be  back  again  to-morrow.  Here  are 
the  written  orders  about  protecting  Heatherwood,  on 
the  height  yonder."  And  the  precious  paper  was 
handed  over. 

"I  don't  know  about  that  place,"  was  the  doubtful 

answer,    "There  was  a  soldier  arrested  there  and  sent 

up  to  the  provost-marshal  at  Point  of  Rocks  this 

morning.     What  had  he  been  doing?" 

169 


170        THE   GENERALS  DOUBLE. 

"Arrested  by  a  cavalry  major  of  regulars  who  said 
he  was  a  straggler  from  his  command.  I  could  not 
interfere,  though  I  believe  him  to  be  the  same  man 
that  galloped  away  from  my  camp  a  night  or  two 
ago,  refusing  to  have  his  pass  examined.  There's 
something  about  him  that's  wrong.  I  don't  know 
what." 

"Well,  they  didn't  keep  him  in  limbo  ten  min- 
utes," said  the  Maine  officer.  "He  asked  to  see  Cap- 
tain Mcintosh,  and  when  Mac  was  sent  out  to  scout 
towards  Sugar  Loaf  this  morning,  he  had  that  fellow 
riding  with  him.  They  say  he  knows  the  countr}^ 
like  a  book." 

"Yery  likely,"  said  Clark.  "One  thing  you  can 
be  sure  of,  and  that  is  this,  Mrs.  Heatherwood  will 
knowingly  allow  no  man  to  enter  her  doors  who  is 
not  there  by  authority  of  the  War  Department.  She 
is  nursing  her  son  and  nephew,  both  of  whom  are 
still  in  bed,  and  they  are  the  only  men  about  the 
place,  unless  you  count  the  old  darky." 

"And  you've  had  no  reason  to  suspect  anything 
wrong?  N^o  attempt  to  communicate  with  rebels  at 
Leesburg  or  elsewhere?" 

"Certainly  not,"  was  the  prompt  reply.  "Why 
do  you  ask?" 

"Because  the  provost-marshal  at  Point  of  Rocks 
tells  me  the  signal-officers  on  Sugar  Loaf  say  there 
is  signalling  going  on  over  there  in  Loudoun  County 
to  some  point  here.  Now,  what  could  it  be  but 
Heatherwood?     He  has   word   that   that   Virginian 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  171 

captain,  Fairfax,  was  over  here  somewhere,  and  that 
your  people  yesterday  were  imposed  upon  by  a 
stranger  claiming  to  be  Captain  Belden,  of  Hooker's 
staff.  Why,  you  ought  to  know,  or  they  ought  to 
know,  that  General  Hooker  was  wounded  at  Antie- 
tam  and  went  into  Washington,  and  Belden  with 
him.    Belden  hasn't  come  back  yet." 

"I've  heard  that  story.  Old  Foulweather,  of  the 
cavalry,  asked  Madam  Heatherwood  in  my  presence, 
and  she  declared  that  she  never  knew-  such  an  officer 
as  Captain  Belden.  There  has  been  some  masquer- 
ading going  on,  perhaps,  but  she  knows  nothing  of 
it.  You'll  find  no  people  there  she  cannot  account 
for." 

And  so  saying,  Clark,  the  bearded,  who  believed 
solemnly  in  women,  rode  rapidly  away,  and  placed 
himself  at  the  head  of  his  column  as  they  struck  the 
road  to  Conrad's  Ferry,  meeting,  oddly  enough,  the 
column  of  regulars  just  as  they  came  dripping  up 
from  the  ford.  The  ^e\y  Hampshire  men  retook 
their  silent  tramp  down  the  towpath,  as  the  muddy 
tail  of  the  cavalry  column  swung  out  over  the  steep 
ascent.  The  infantry  were  marching  away  from  the 
expected  foe  in  order  to  occupy  the  heights  overlook- 
ing the  lower  ferry.  Foulweather,  however,  profit- 
ing by  the  field  orders  which  turned  him  loose  in 
Loudoun  County  for  a  week's  scout,  was  now  push- 
ing northward  into  Maryland,  a  free  lance,  practi- 
cally, with  glorious  possibilities  ahead,  Burnside,  of 
course,  having  to  accept  the  resi^onsibility  for  his 
change  of  base. 


172        THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

And  Foiilweather  had  reason  to  be  hopeful  and 
elate.  Both  in  Stuart's  cavalry,  south  of  the  Potomac, 
and  among  the  widely  dispersed  camps  of  the  Union 
horse,  from  Cumberland  to  Washington  on  the  north 
of  the  river,  their  mounts  were  suffering  with  equine 
maladies  known  as  "greasy  heel"  and  sore  tongue. 
In  addition  there  were  hundreds  of  horses  in  Pleas- 
onton's  camp  in  need  of  shoes.  Just  why  this  should 
have  been  the  quartermaster  could  not  say.  But 
most  of  the  Union  commanders  reported  their  horses 
in  poor  condition.  Foulweather,  however,  serving 
east  of  the  mountains  and  nearer  Washington,  had 
been  able  to  supply  himself  as  to  forage  and  shoes, 
while  the  epidemics  that  so  affected  the  chargers  in 
the  Shenandoah  and  upper  Potomac  valleys  had 
made  no  inroads  on  his  stock.  He  w^as,  except  for 
fatigue,  in  tip-top  condition  for  sharp  cavalry  service. 
He  reasoned  that  Stuart's  column^  both  men  and 
horses,  would  be  worn  out  by  the  time  they  met,  and, 
though  he  had  barely  two  hundred  and  fifty  sabres 
at  his  back,  the  stout  old  plainsman  meant  that  they 
should  make  their  mark  on  the  gray  squadrons  if  he 
could  possibly  reach  them. 

And  why  should  he  not  reach  them?  Here  he 
was,  far  from  the  grasp  of  any  brigade  commander, 
his  own  master  for  the  time  being.  Now  was  the 
chance  for  independent  action,  now  the  golden  op- 
portunity to  win  those  long  coveted  silver  stars,  now 
the  time  to  distance  all  competitors  in  the  race  for 
recommendation    for  the    brigadier-generalship    to 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  ]  73 

come  from  the  cavalry.  So  far  as  he  could  hear, 
there  was  only  one  rival  in  the  field, — Mcintosh,  he 
of  the  provost-guard  at  Point  of  Rocks,  already  out 
there  somewhere  to  the  north  of  him,  and  scouting 
the  roads  down  which  Stuart  might  come.  True, 
Stoneman  was  throwing  forward  cavalry  from  Pooles- 
ville,  but  who  were  they?  said  Foul  weather,  disdain- 
fully. Stoneman  had  no  regulars  to  speak  of,  and 
even  Rush's  Lancers  up  at  Frederick  had  not  served 
to  modify  the  old  major's  disdain  or  to  change  his 
dictum  that  "a  volunteer  trooper  was  only  a  dummy 
on  a  cart-horse."  Mcintosh,  however,  was  a  man  to 
dread,  guided  as  he  was  by  a  trooper  who  knew  every 
bridle-path  in  that  part  of  Maryland.  How  dare  he 
release  Bell  from  durance  vile  ?  How  dare  he  utilize 
him  instead  of  sending  him  back  to  Foulweather, — 
now  that  his  services  were  so  sorely  needed?  The 
major  was  hot  with  jealous  wrath  as  the  darkness 
slowly  settled  down,  and  riding  straight  for  Sugar 
Loaf,  he  saw  the  red  torch  waving  at  its  lofty 
summit. 

And  now  the  men  had  slept  through  hours  of  the 
earlier  day,  had  feasted  on  soldier  fare  at  noon,  and 
could  be  counted  on  for  all-night  work  if  need  be, 
even  though  the  sun  had  given  place  to  shower  and 
the  night  wore  on  chill  and  wet.  At  seven  o'clock 
he  was  pushing  northward,  following  some  old 
country  road  that  meandered  among  the  groves  and 
fields.  He  relied  on  reaching  the  broad  pike  before 
eight,  the  main  road  that  led  from  Frederick  through 


174        THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

Hjattstown  and  Rockville  to  Washington,  and  there 
surely  he  would  intercept  couriers  with  tidings  of  the 
foe;  surely  by  that  time  it  would  be  known  which 
way  the  fox  had  turned.  Off  to  the  eastward  faint 
lights  were  gleaming  here  and  there  in  little  villages 
or  farm-houses.  Foulweather  left  Barnesville  well 
to  his  right,  for  there,  though  news  might  have  been 
had,  he  feared  that  at  this  moment  he  might  nnd 
some  officer  superior  in  rank  who  would  take  it  upon 
himself  to  order  him  to  join  some  detachment  of 
volunteer  horse  and  act  in  concert  ^vith  amateurs, 
and  so  spoil  all  the  old  major's  plans  of  action.  Foul- 
weather  would  take  no  chance  of  losing  his  autonomy, 
and,  like  many  another  cavalryman,  good  or  bad,  he 
would  rather  be  his  own  commander  in  a  wilderness 
than  ride  as  second  or  subordinate  in  Elysium. 

And  the  farther  north  they  pushed  through  the 
shadowy  lane,  moving  slowly  and  cautiously  for  fear 
of  running  into  unseen  ditch  or  obstruction,  the  more 
to  their  left  had  loomed  the  rugged  height  of  Sugar 
Loaf,  where,  slowly  waving,  the  torches  could  still 
be  seen  at  intervals,  and  the  major  would  have  given 
six  months'  pay  to  know  what  tidings  were  passing 
to  and  fro.  Where  was  Stuart?  Oh,  where  was 
Stuart? 

By  this  time,  too,  so  much  rain  had  fallen  that  the 
road  was  squashy  under  hoof.  The  lane  was  so  nar- 
row that  they  had  been  compelled  to  reduce  front, 
and  were  riding  by  twos  instead  of  fours,  his  long 
column  thereby  stringing  out  to  more  than  twice  its 


THE  GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  175 

normal  length.  Halting  at  dusk  to  shift  saddles  and 
tighten  girths,  he  had  ordered  forward  a  little  ad- 
vance guard  consisting  of  a  veteran  sergeant  and 
some  twenty  troopers, — he  had  no  officers  to  spare, — 
and  now  felt  confident  that  no  sudden  dash  could 
double  him  up;  and  just  about  half -past  seven,  as 
he  was  jogging  along  at  brisk  walk,  Wilson  on  his 
left  and  the  orderlies  and  trumpeter  following  at  his 
heels,  a  dark  form  appeared  just  in  front  and  a  voice 
was  heard: 

"Sergeant  Walsh  sends  me  back  to  tell  the  major 
the  road  forks  about  a  hundred  yards  ahead,  sir. 
Which  shall  we  take?" 

"Has  he  sent  men  out  on  both?" 

"Yes,  sir;  a  quarter  of  a  mile  or  so.  There  are 
farm  lights  on  the  right,  and  it's  all  dark  on  the 
other." 

Old  Treacy  had  sputtered  alongside  from  the  head 
of  his  squadron  to  listen  to  the  reports.  There  was 
not  an  instant's  halt.  The  column  moved  steadily 
on  and  the  messenger  had  reined  about  and  was 
riding  by  the  major's  side. 

Foulweather  hesitated  a  minute.  The  lights  were 
too  near  for  Hyattsto\vn.  He  might  find  informa- 
tion there,  and  he  might  just  as  likely  run  across  the 
head-quarters  of  some  of  Stoneman's  cavalry  com- 
mands, thro^vQ,  fan-like,  forward  from  Poolesville. 

Treacy  impulsively  put  in  his  oar  and  decided 
matters.    "Tell  him  to  go  to  the  right,  major." 

"Tell  him  to  go  to  the  left,"  was  Foulweather's 


176  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

characteristic  reply,  and,  swearing  through  his  grind- 
ing teeth,  Treacy  fell  back  to  his  place. 

And  so  it  happened  that  when,  a  little  after  eight, 
a  trooper  came  trotting  back  to  say  the  advance  had 
reached  the  pike  in  the  broad  valley  to  the  front,  and 
that  torches  were  still  waving  at  Sugar  Loaf  to  their 
left  rear,  and  far  away  to  the  northwest  other  signal- 
lights,  faint  and  dim,  could  be  made  out  by  sharp- 
sighted  men  in  the  lead,  the  whole  column  had 
passed  within  a  dozen  rods  of  one  who  wore  their 
own  uniform,  and  who,  dismounted  and  firmly  grip- 
ping the  nostrils  of  his  wearied  horse  to  prevent  his 
neighing,  was  crouching  beside  a  hedge  on  the  other 
fork  of  the  road,  shrinking  from  possibility  of  dis- 
covery. K^ot  until  the  rearmost  trooper  had  gone 
jogging  by  the  fork,  not,  indeed,  until  five  minutes 
more  had  passed  without  the  sound  of  other  horse- 
men coming  from  the  south,  did  the  solitary  shadow 
lead  forth  to  the  narrow  roadway,  mount,  and  ride  on 
and  on  with  the  unerring  confidence  of  one  to  whom 
every  bend  of  the  bridle-path  was  familiar,  on  until 
Sugar  Loaf  bore  straight  to  his  right,  the  west,  on  to 
a  point  where  faint  lights  could  be  seen  gleaming 
away  over  to  the  southwest,  down  by  the  shores  of 
the  Potomac,  and  here,  at  the  foot  of  a  steep  slope,  a 
lane  still  narrower  led  away  southwest,  through  open 
fields,  and  this  he  took  unhesitatingly,  and,  pressing 
on  at  rapid  trot,  ever  bending  forward  and  with 
ears  attent,  ever  encouraging  and  urging  his  tired 
horse,  rarely  spurring  now,  for  the  gallant  fellow  was 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  177 

doing  his  best,  and  no  true  horseman  spurs  a  willing 
beast,  mile  after  mile  he  rode  until  half  a  dozen  were 
left  between  him  and  the  point  where  Foulweather's 
ghostly  train  had  jjassed  him  by,  and  then  there  rose 
before  him,  dim  and  vague,  a  lone  height,  forest- 
covered,  with  every  line  of  which  he  was  familiar, 
though  hardly  a  trace  of  it  could  be  seen.  Overhead 
the  heavens  were  shrouded  in  their  veil  of  cloud. 
Under  foot  the  earth  lay  dripping.  To  right  and  left 
the  autumn  leaves  came  fluttering  down,  pelted 
mercilessly  by  the  unseen  rain,  and  the  patter  of  the 
myriad  globules  fell  on  the  ear  like  soothing, 
drowsing  melody.  And  all  this  distance  had  the 
rider  traversed  without  sign  of  friend  or  foe,  yet 
now,  at  a  sharp  turn  in  the  narrow  lane,  he  reined  in 
his  horse  and  listened.  iSTot  a  sound  beyond  the 
ceaseless  plash.  Slowly  he  moved  forward  again 
until  he  could  feel,  rather  than  see,  that  the  road  had 
opened  out,  and  that  it  had  joined  a  broader,  better- 
travelled  thoroughfare.  Another  gentle  bend,  and 
then,  not  two  hundred  yards  away,  underneath  a 
clump  of  trees,  some  camp-fires  smouldered  and  the 
shadowy  forms  of  men  and  horses,  half  a  dozen, 
could  be  dimly  seen.  And  presently  he  came  to 
where  a  big  stone,  once  whitewashed  or  painted,  so 
that  now  it  could  be  faintly  discerned,  stood  at  the 
roadside,  and  here  he  flung  himself  from  his  horse, 
led  confidently  through  a  shallow,  muddy  trench,  his 
horse  as  confidently  following,  then  forced  his  way 
through  a  gap  in  the  dripping  hedge,  and  the  next 

12 


178         THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

minute  he  had  remounted  and  was  moving  slowly 
and  cautiously  up  a  winding  path  among  the  fruit- 
trees,  steering  for  another  gap  in  the  foliage  near  the 
crest,  through  which  a  dim  light  was  throwing  feeble 
yet  sufficient  beam,  a  light  that  was  to  guide  him 
back  unchallenged,  though  unbidden,  once  more  to 
stable  his  tired  horse  in  the  comfortable  old  barn, 
and  then,  cautious,  noiseless,  dripping  wet,  but  bear- 
ing with  him  his  arms  and  saddle-bags,  the  same 
trooper  that  issued  from  that  door  at  dawn,  came  to 
claim  once  more  the  hospitality  of  Heatherwood. 

A  light  was  burning  dimly  in  the  room.  He 
could  see  it  gleam  through  a  crevice.  Cautiously  he 
tapped,  quick  and  low,  then  listened  for  coming  foot- 
steps. 

Utter  silence  and  no  other  response.  Yet  he  could 
have  sworn  some  one  was  moving  about  within  the 
old  wing  as  he  approached.  Again  he  tapped,  quick 
and  low,  three  rapid  knocks,  a  pause,  then  one,  as 
though  he  would  have  signalled  thirty-one,  and  this 
time  there  was  instant  result.  There  were  hurried 
whisperings,  a  scurry  of  footfalls.  A  bench  was 
overturned  and  something  tin  came  clattering  to  the 
floor.  Then  at  last  the  swish  of  skirts,  a  cautious  ap- 
proach to  the  door.  The  latch  clattered  hesitatingly, 
a  voice,  tremulous,  whispered,  "^yllo  is  it?" 

"It  is  I.  Don't  you  recognize  the  number?  Open, 
quick." 

But  only  slowly  would  that  door  open,  and  at  last 
the  face  of  Belle  Heatherwood  appeared,  white  as 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  179 

that  of  the  dead,  as  she  stood  there  looking  first  one 
instant  over  her  shoulder,  the  next  glancing  in  sur- 
prise, pity,  and  compassion,  all  in  one,  at  the  im- 
patient soldier.  He  saw  the  consternation  in  her 
eyes. 

"Some  one  has  frightened  you,"  he  exclaimed,  as 
now  he  strode  within  the  door  and  dropped  his  saddle 
to  the  floor,  while  his  right  hand  threw  back  the  flap 
of  the  holster  at  his  waist-belt  and  grasped  the  butt 
of  the  ready  Colt.  "]^o  one  of  our  men  dare  molest 
you  here.     Who  was  it?    Where  is  he?" 

The  color  flew  back  to  her  cheek  at  the  abrupt 
demand,  and  fire  to  her  eyes.  She  would  have  spoken 
impetuously,  but  something  in  his  worn  face  de- 
terred her.  She  read  there  suffering,  anxiety,  dis- 
tress, far  more  than  command.  Whatever  his  present 
mood,  he  had  come  a  suppliant.  Quick-witted,  the 
girl  saw  her  advantage  and  seized  it. 

"After  the  scene  this  morning  you  need  not  won- 
der that  we  take  alarm,"  she  answered,  bravely, 
though  her  breath  came  quick,  her  bosom  rose  and 
fell  like  troubled  sea.  She  pressed  her  hand  to  her 
heart,  too,  as  she  spoke.  "We  were  in  misery  over 
your  arrest.  What  does  it  mean?  You've  escaped, 
or  what?" 

"Xever  mind  that  ?iow,"  he  answered,  shortly, 
as  his  eyes  flitted  suspiciously  about  the  kitchen, 
glancing  warily  at  the  door-way  leading  into  the 
house  itself,  and  the  flight  of  stairs  down  to  the  cel- 
lar.    On  a  table  was  a  basket  containing  eggs  and 


180  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

vegetables,  and  on  that  she  had  rested  a  trembling 
hand. 

"Why,  I  never  saw  you  show  such  fear  before! 
Some  one  was  here  with  you.    Was  it " 

"Hush,"  she  whispered.  "Some  one  is  here — 
without.  It's  a  jjatrol,"  she  continued,  her  cheek 
blanching  again,  for  the  sound  of  hoofs  and  clanking 
steel  could  be  distinctly  heard.  "Is  it  you  they  seek 
again?" 

For  answer  the  soldier  sprang  to  his  saddle,  knelt, 
tore  open  the  nearest  bag,  and  with  eager  hands  drew 
forth  a  flat  tin  case,  firmly  strapped. 

"It  may  be,"  he  murmured,  desperately.  "And 
now,  whatever  happens,  they  must  not  get  this.  Hide 
it,  quick.  I'll  answer  them.  Only  guard  this  for  me, 
and  I'm  in  no  danger." 

Then,  as,  seizing  the  packet,  the  girl  sped  swiftly 
away,  the  trooper  turned  and  blew  out  the  candle. 
Low  voices  were  heard  without.  Spurred  boots  and 
clanking  sabres  were  already  at  the  door.  Then 
came  an  imperative  knock.  Bell  drew  himself  to 
his  full  height  and,  deliberately  closing  the  holster 
and  adjusting  his  belt,  was  about  to  step  forward, 
when  a  hand  was  laid  on  his  arm. 

"To  your  room,  quick,  for  mother's  sake.  She  was 
kneeling,  praying  for  you  when  I  left  her,"  whis- 
pered an  eager  voice.  He  thrilled  as  the  warm  lips 
almost  touched  his  ear.  "Oh,  for  God's  sake,"  she 
added,  as  he  hesitated,  "for — my  sake,  quick!" 

And  on  tiptoe  he  hurried  into  the  dark  hall  be- 


J 


THE    GENERAL'S  DOUBLE  181 

yond  jnst  as  Chloe,  lamp  in  hand,  came  shuffling  into 
the  old  wing,  and  the  clamor  at  the  door  redoubled. 
At  a  sign  from  her  young  mistress,  who  stood  leaning 
against  the  table,  her  hand  on  her  fluttering  heart, 
Chloe,  setting  her  lamp  do\^Ta,  stepped  to  the  door 
and  threw  it  open.  There  stood  two  soldiers  of  the 
Union  cavalry, — an  officer,  backed  by  a  sergeant. 
Dimly  seen  beyond  them,  still  in  saddle,  huddled 
possibly  half  a  dozen  escorting  troopers, 

"Can  I  see  Mrs.  Heather  wood?"  demanded  the 
foremost;  then,  gazing  beyond  the  negro  face,  he 
caught  sight  of  the  young  lady's  and  the  basket.  At 
sight  of  the  first  he  had  whipped  off  his  wet  forage- 
cap, at  sight  of  the  second  he  cla^Dped  it  on  again,  and 
with  kindling  eyes  strode  straight  into  the  room. 

"By  heaven,  he's  here!  At  least," — and  here  he 
turned  quickly  to  the  lady  and  lifted  his  cap  once 
more, — "at  least,  that  is  the  basket  of  the  man  we're 
looking  for.  Pardon  me, — Miss  Heatherwood,  I  pre- 
sume,— but  my  men  must  enter  at  once  and  search." 

"They  shall  not!"  she  cried.  "We  have  orders 
from  the  President  himself,  protecting  us  from  such 
outrage.    I  deny  your  right — I  forbid.     I " 

But  in  spite  of  her  indignant  protestation,  three  or 
four  troopers  had  sprung  from  saddle  and,  carbines 
in  hand,  came  surging  into  the  old  kitchen.  "Search, 
— search  everywhere,"  were  the  brief  orders  of  the 
young  officer.  "Look  for  the  dress  of  an  old  farmer, 
with  beard  and  wig."  And  despite  Miss  Heather- 
wood's  impulsive  move  to  check  them,  a  corporal 


182  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

and  trooper  darted  by.  Others,  without,  as  promptly 
surrounded  the  house.  The  first  door  to  the  right 
led  to  the  cellar,  and  down  the  stairway,  lantern  in 
hand,  leaped  a  non-commissioned  officer,  followed  by 
a  single  soldier.  Again  Miss  Heatherwood  spoke, 
her  voice  broken,  pleading,  now  that  angry  menace 
had  proved  unavailing. 

"Oh,  I  implore  you,  do  not,  do  not.  It  will  rouse 
my  mother.  She  must  not  be  frightened."  And 
now  in  her  terror  the  girl  sprang  back  to  the  hall- 
way and  stood  at  the  door,  desperately  barring  the 
entrance. 

"!N^ot  there,  sir,"  bluntly  reported  the  corporal,  as 
he  came  trotting  up  the  cellar  stairs.  "In  the  house, 
most  like,"  and,  turning  as  though  to  enter,  recoiled 
before  the  quivering  face  of  the  brave  girl. 

"I  deplore  this.  Miss  Heatherwood,"  said  the  offi- 
cer, sorrowfully,  "but  we  have  no  choice.  Search  we 
must,  or  stand  court-martial.  Pray  step  aside,"  and 
the  gauntleted  hand  closed  on  her  white  wrist. 

And  then  a  door  was  heard  to  open  overhead,  and 
quick  footsteps  followed,  and  presently  these  latter 
were  heard  bounding  down  the  stairs,  and  along  the 
dimly  lighted  passage  there  came  the  tall  figure  of  an 
officer,  an  officer  in  Confederate  uniform,  at  sight  of 
which  Belle  Heatherwood  gave  one  cry  of  anguish 
and  fell  heavily  forward.  The  Union  soldier  caught 
and  raised  her  ere  she  struck  the  floor.  The  Con- 
federate took  the  senseless  form  from  his  arms  and 
laid  it  flat  upon  a  lounge  within  the  hall-way. 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  183 

"Water,  quick!"  lie  whispered.  "Let  us  restore 
her  first;   then  I — am  the  man  you  want." 

And  on  this  picture  gazed  sternly,  yet  almost  in 
stupefaction,  the  tall  trooper,  who  had  stepped  forth 
from  an  adjoining  room  just  as  Mrs.  Heatherwood's 
wan,  white  face  came  slowly  within  the  zone  of  the 
lamplight. 


CHAPTEK  XII. 

For  tlie  first  few  moments  no  one  seemed  to  tliink 
of  anything  but  the  nnconscious  girl.  Kneeling  by 
her  side  was  Fairfax  sprinkling  water  on  her  white 
face  and  slapping  her  nerveless  hands,  striving  pite- 
ously  to  recall  her  from  the  almost  deadly  swoon, 
losing  himself  utterly  in  his  anxiety  for  her.  Awk- 
wardly, as  men  will,  yet  in  eager  sympathy,  the 
Union  officer  essayed  to  aid  him,  while  poor  old 
Chloe  ran  to  the  supf)ort  of  her  invalid  mistress,  who, 
leaning  heavily  against  the  balustrade  of  the  back 
stairway,  stood  for  a  moment  with  blanched  face,  as 
though  dazed  and  unable  to  realize  the  sight  before 
her  eyes.  A  moment  only  she  stood  there,  then, 
leaning  on  the  arm  of  the  old  negress,  came  slowly 
forward,  and  at  her  approach  the  officer  again  re- 
moved his  cap  and  laid  a  warning  hand  on  the 
shoulder  of  his  prisoner.  Fairfax  looked  up,  and  for 
the  first  time  saw  the  mistress  of  Heatherwood,  and 
the  eyes  of  the  Maryland  dame  and  the  Virginia 
soldier  met.  A  faint  sigh,  a  slight  movement,  told 
that  consciousness  was  returning  to  the  daughter  of 
the  house,  but  Mrs.  Heatherwood's  eyes  were  fixed  on 
those  of  the  man,  who  slowly  raised  himself  from  his 
knees  and  stood  almost  humbly,  yet  with  the  uncon- 
scious dignity  of  deep  uiisfortunp,  ij}  the  presence  of 
184       '  ■     ' 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  185 

the  honored  mother  of  the  girl  he  loved, — the  gentle- 
woman who,  loving  him  from  early  boyhood,  had  yet 
forbidden  him  her  doors.  Out  in  the  kitchen,  clus- 
tering near  the  door,  gazing  in  with  mingled  s^mi- 
pathy  and  curiosity  in  their  war-worn  faces,  stood 
the  few  troopers.  Peering  over  the  balusters  half- 
way up  to  the  second  story  was  the  pretty  face  of 
Laura  Waddell,  bathed  in  indignant  tears,  and  for  a 
moment  not  one  word  was  uttered.  Hardly  a  sound 
but  that  fluttering  sigh  was  heard,  until  at  last  Mrs. 
Heatherwood  slowly  spoke: 

"Floyd  Fairfax!  You  here  in  my  house — after 
all!" 

And  the  soldier  bowed  his  pale  face  and  stood 
silent  and  defenceless  before  her. 

Another  sigh  from  the  couch,  a  tossing  of  the 
white  hand,  and  quickly,  but  without  a  word,  Laura 
sped  down  the  stairway,  turned,  and,  brushing  past 
old  Chloe,  threw  herself  upon  her  knees  beside  her 
cousin,  who  was  slowly  opening  her  eyes. 

Then  again  Mrs.  Heatherwood  spoke,  gravely, 
slowly,  and  this  time  to  the  Union  officer.  "Were 
you  sent  here — in  search  of — this  gentleman?" 

"My  orders  are  to  arrest,"  was  the  solemn  answer, 
"Captain  Floyd  Fairfax,  of  the  Virginia  cavalry, 
reported  to  be  lurking  in  disguise,  a  spy  within  our 
lines." 

"A  spy!"  exclaimed  Fairfax,  hotly.    "I'm  no  spy! 

This  uniform "     But  even  in  the  mortal  peril 

of  his  position  the  Virginia  gentleman  could  not 
stoop  to  lie. 


186  THE  GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

"The  dress  in  which  Captain  Fairfax  succeeded 
in  passing  our  patrols  and  entering  these  grounds 
was  that  of  a  farmer,  and  with  it  the  additional  dis- 
guise of  beard  and  wig,"  said  the  officer,  almost 
sadly. 

Mrs.  Heatherwood  looked  from  one  to  the  other 
in  silent  dismay.  "Do  you  mean  that  within  these 
doors — you  had  this  uniform  concealed — awaiting 
you?"  she  demanded,  in  tones  so  sad  and  stern  they 
thrilled  the  hearers. 

"Mrs.  Heatherwood,"  impetuously  spoke  the  Vir- 
ginian, "I  implore  you  to  blame  no  one  but  me.  Ask 
no  questions  now.  Do  you  not  realize — do  you  not 
see — my  life  depends " 

But  before  he  could  finish  his  statement  Laura 
sprang  to  her  feet. 

"  'Fanybody  wants  to  know  how  this  gentleman 
happens  to  be  't  Heatherwood  to-night,"  she  cried, 
her  fists  clinching,  her  eyes  flashing,  "just  tell  'em  I 
did  it.  I  told  him  to  come.  I  rode  out  and  tried  to 
find  him,  and  sent  him  word  that  made  him  come,'' 
she  stormed.  "  'Twasn't  his  fault,  or  Belle's  or 
aunty's,  or  anybody's  but  mine,"  she  cried.  "I  sent 
for  him,  and  he's  a  Virginia  gentleman,  and  he  had 
to  come." 

"Hush,  child!"  interposed  Madam  Heatherwood; 
"hush !     You  don't  know  what  you're  saying." 

"I  do  know,  and  they  can  'rest  me  for  a  spy  or  any- 
thing they  like.  I'm  not  afraid.  Captain  Fairfax 
came  because  I  made  him  believe  that  aunty  wanted 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  187 

him  here  and  wanted  to  see  him,  and  he  just  couldn't 
refuse, — no  gentleman  could, — and  no  gentleman 
would  think  of  taking  advantage,  mean  advantage,  of 
another  gentleman  under  such  circumstances."  How 
her  black  eyes  flashed  at  the  Union  officer  as  she 
spoke!  "You  can  do  anything  you  like  to  me,  but 
don't  you  blame  anybody  else,"  said  she. 

"Ah,  my  dear  young  lady,"  interrupted  the  officer, 
sndling  sorrowfully 

"I'm  not  your  dear  young  lady,  or  anybody's  like 
you " 

"Pardon  my  presumption,"  said  he,  bowing  with 
the  utmost  gravity;  "that  was  indeed  unwarrantable. 
What  I  was  about  to  say  was  that  I  feared  even  your 
imperious  orders  will  not  warrant  the  captain's  com- 
ing, in  the  sight  of  our  Secretary  of  War;  and  now 
I  shall  have  to  ask  that  he  accompany  me  at  once. 
The  ladies  can  attend  to  Miss  Heatherwood  far  better 
than  we  can." 

"At  your  service,  sir,"  said  Fairfax,  gravely. 
"But,  have  we  far  to  go?    I'm  hardly  fit  to  walk." 

"You  shall  ride,  sir,  and  it  is  only  to  the  nearest 
camp,  for  this  night  at  least." 

"Yes,"  shouted  the  irrepressible  Laura,  despite  the 
efforts  of  Mrs.  Heatherwood  to  silence  her,  despite 
the  picture  of  Miss  Heatherwood,  now  glancing 
dumbly  about  from  face  to  face,  in  piteous  appeal, 
"you'd  better  not  try  to  go  too  far,  for  if  you  run  into 
Jeb  Stuart  hereabouts  I  wouldn't  give  much  for  your 
chances,  Mr.  Yankee.     I  don't  care  where  you  lock 


188  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

Captain  Fairfax  up,  we'll  get  him  out  just  as  soon  as 
General  Stuart  comes,  and  put  you  in — see  if  wo 
don't."    But  Fairfax  himself  was  interposing  now. 

"Laura,  Laura!"  he  warned.  "You  must  control 
that  unruly  tongue  of  yours.  These  gentlemen  have 
their  orders,  and  soldiers  can  only  obey.  Go  up  to 
your  cousin's  room  and  get  my  overcoat  for  me. — 
Forgive  me,  Mrs.  Heatherw^ood,"  he  murmured,  "I 
must  get  rid  of  this  child  a  moment."  Then  as  the 
girl  swung  saucily  away,  totally  unable,  apparently, 
to  realize  the  gravity  of  the  situation,  and  casting 
annihilating  glances  at  the  Union  lieutenant  as  she 
sped  up  the  stairs, — glances  which  made  his  lips 
twitch  and  his  eyes  twinkle,  despite  the  solemn  na- 
ture of  his  duty, — Fairfax  again  turned  to  his  captor. 

"One  thing  I  beg  leave  to  assure  you,  sir,  and  that 
is  that  Mrs.  Heatherwood  had  no  idea  of  my  presence 
within  her  gates  until  she  came  upon  me  here  to-- 
night." 

"That  I  understand,"  was  the  courteous  reply. 
"Xo  one  will  accuse  Mrs.  Heatherwood  of  harboring 
the  enemy. — What  is  it,  sergeant?"  he  asked,  as  a 
trooper  entered  hurriedly  from  the  rear  and  seemed 
impatient  to  speak. 

"There's  firing  up  to  the  northeast,  sir.  There's 
a  patrol  coming  up  the  road." 

The  officer's  eyes  blazed  with  excitement,  but  his 
voice  was  firm  and  quiet.  "Then  I  shall  have  to 
hurry  you,  captain.  You  really  need  no  overcoat  to 
go  to  the  Monocacy.  There  you'll  be  comfortably 
housed  for  the  niij::ht." 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  189 

Fairfax  turned.  Belle,  covering  her  face  in  her 
hands,  was  shuddering  and  almost  hysterical,  and  the 
mother  bent  to  soothe  her. 

"Give  me  one  minute's  conversation  with  these 
ladies,"  said  the  Virginian,  almost  imploringly. 
"What  I  have  to  say  concerns  us  alone.  There  shall 
be  no  effort  to  escape  you.    I  give  you  my  word." 

For  a  moment  there  was  hesitation  in  the  young 
officer's  face,  then  he  turned  and  motioned  with  his 
hand.  The  silent  troopers  fell  back  to  the  kitchen, 
whither  their  officer  followed,  halted  at  the  door, 
turned  and  took  one  more  earnest  look  at  his  prisoner; 
then  his  hand  went  up  to  the  cap  in  military  salute, 
which  Fairfax  gravely  returned.  The  door  closed 
behind  the  cavalryman.  Mother,  daughter,  and  the 
Virginia  captain  were  alone.  Trooper  Bell  had  stood 
for  a  moment  gazing  fixedly  at  the  group  about  the 
sofa  on  which  lay  the  stricken  girl,  then  had  disap- 
peared within  his  room.  Aunt  Chloe  had  drifted 
up  the  hall,  and  was  rocking  to  and  fro  on  a  settee, 
wringing  her  black  hands  in  distress.  Aloft,  Laura's 
shrill  voice  could  be  distinctly  heard  behind  closed 
doors  in  lively  altercation  with  somebody.  Presently 
back  she  came,  bounding,  with  Ralph  Heatherwood's 
coat  upon  her  arm.  A  smell  of  burning  hair  came 
floating  down  after  her,  and  now  her  face  was  white 
with  anxiety.  "What  do  they  mean,  telling  me  you 
can  be  tried  for  a  spy?  as  if  a  man  hasn't  a  right  to 
wear  a  wig  in  a  free  country,"  she  prattled,  as  she 
threw  herself  upon  Fairfax  and  seemed  striving  to 


190  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

envelop  the  new  gray  uniform  in  sheltering  folds  of 
heavy  cloth.  ''The  Yankees  can't  get  that  old  wig 
and  beard,  anyhow, — Ralph's  burned  'em, — but," 
and  now  at  last  she  lowered  her  voice,  fearful  lest  her 
words  might  reach  the  kitchen,  "there's  no  place  to 
hide  those  farmer  clothes.  Ralph  says  we  must  get 
rid  of  them  before  the  search  is  made." 

Outside  the  trampling  of  hoofs  and  the  eager 
voices  of  men,  though  only  faintly  heard  in  this 
sheltered  hall,  told  of  the  coming  of  additional 
troops.  There  was  stir  and  excitement  among  the 
soldiers  in  the  kitchen.  Belle  TIeatherwood,  weep- 
ing silently,  had  buried  her  face  in  her  gentle 
mother's  breast,  and  Mrs.  Heatherwood,  kneeling 
beside  her,  was  whispering  soothing  words.  Fairfax 
stepped  to  the  door  as  though  to  bolt  it  against  intru- 
sion, but  Mrs.  Heatherwood  looked  up  into  his  pale 
face,  and,  though  she  spoke  no  word,  he  seemed  to 
read  disapprobation  of  the  move,  and  dropped  his 
hand  dejectedly. 

"Blame  no  one  but  me,  Mrs.  Heatherwood,"  he 
began,  so  low  and  sad  his  voice  that  her  heart  welled 
over  with  pity. 

"My  poor  boy!  My  poor  boy !'^  she  cried.  "How 
could  you  be  so  rash?  IToyd,  Floyd,  what  would 
your  mother  have  said  ?  Is  it  true  you  came  here — 
disguised?  Didn't  you  know  what  that  would  mean 
if  you  were  taken?" 

Sadly  he  bowed  his  head.  "It  is  true.  It  was  the 
only  way.     But  they  have  not  yet  found  it.     They 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  191 

cannot  prove  I  wore  it.  You  see  liow  we  arranged  it 
the  moment  we  realized  that  search  was  to  be  made, 
I  ran  to  Ralph's  room  and  changed  from  farmer 
clothes  to  his  uniform  and  came  down  in  that.  No 
one  of  their  number  has  seen  me  in  anything  else. 
'Prisoner  of  war  until  exchanged'  is  the  worst  I  need 
fear,  unless  they  discover  those  things.  And  now," 
— his  eyes  turned  with  sad  entreaty  to  the  weeping 
girl, — "have  you  no  word  for  me,  Belle  ?  Go  I  must 
at  once,  but,"  and  again  the  fire  flashed  in  his  eyes 
and  he  drew  himself  to  his  full  height,  "if  it  be  true 
that  Stuart  is  coming, — Stuart, — I'll  be  with  my 
own  within  another  day." 

]\Irs.  Heatherwood  had  risen  to  her  feet,  listening 
eagerly  to  his  words,  yet  with  straining  ear  seemed 
catching  some  far-away  sound  borne  on  the  night 
wind.  The  soldiers  in  the  kitchen  but  a  moment 
before  had  also  apparently  heard  some  sound  with- 
out, and  had  swarmed  over  to  the  lawn  to  the  east  of 
the  old  house.  Footsteps,  halting,  were  heard  over- 
head; Ralph  was  stealthily  hurrying  to  the  head  of 
the  stairs.  His  mother  hastened  to  the  balustrade 
and  gazed  up  at  him,  but  Chloe,  whom  he  first 
caught  sight  of,  had  lifted  her  head,  and  he  tossed  to 
her  a  bundle  of  clothing,  tightly  knotted. 

"Burn  it,  Chloe,  in  the  big  fireplace,  quick  as  you 
can,"  he  cried.  "Mother,  have  you  heard  firing? 
Brad  swears  he  can  hear  shots  off  beyond  Sugar 
Loaf."  The  old  negress  mechanically  gathered  up 
the  bundle  as  it  rolled  to  her  feet. 


192  THE  GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

''They  ain't  been  a  spark  of  fire  in  the  old  chimney- 
place  this  fall/'  she  moaned,  "and  I  can't  stuff  this 
yeah  in  the  kitchen  stove." 

And  at  that  instant  there  came  heavy  footsteps 
and  clanking  sabre  in  the  kitchen  again — an  impera- 
tive rap  at  the  heavy  door.  Impulsively  Mrs. 
Heatherwood  seized  and  thrust  the  trembling  old 
darky  into  the  door  of  the  little  room  at  which,  only 
a  moment  or  two  before.  Trooper  Bell  had  stood 
and  gazed  so  strangely  at  the  group.  Then  the  hall 
door  was  thrown  open,  and  there  in  the  light  of  the 
lamps  stood  a  burly  officer  in  blue,  splashed  with 
mud  from  top  to  toe,  the  taller  and  younger  soldier, 
Fairfax's  captor,  gazing  anxiously  over  his  shoulder. 

"Captain  Fairfax,"  said  the  former,  with  hardly 
an  instant's  notice  of  the  ladies,  "you  are  my  prisoner. 
It  is  my  duty  to  tell  you  that  you  were  recognized 
in  disguise  near  Poolesville  to-day;  that  you  came 
here  in  the  garb  of  a  farmer.  In  Confederate  uni- 
form you  could  never  have  reached  this  house,  and 
your  disguise  must  be  here.  It  will  save  these  ladies 
the  distress  of  having  our  men  searching  about  the 
house.     Where  shall  we  find  it?" 

Out  came  old  Aunt  Chloe,  wringing  her  black 
hands  about  her  head  and  rocking  back  and  forth, 
the  picture  of  Ethiopian  misery.  Behind  her  the 
door  was  softly  closed.  Fairfax  faced  his  accuser 
haughtily.  There  was  no  strain  of  sorrow  or  half 
sympathy  in  the  new  arrival's  tone  as  there  was  in 
that  of  the  junior  officer. 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  193 

"I  am  your  prisoner,  sir,  and  in  the  uniform  of 
my  rank,"  was  the  slow  reply,  as,  leaning  on  her 
mother's  arm  and  Laura's,  Belle  Heatherwood  pain- 
fully lifted  herself  from  the  sofa  and  stood  facing 
the  new-comer,  her  tear-wet  face  white  as  the  wall 
behind  her.  It  seemed  almost  as  though  she  had 
ranged  herself  by  the  side  of  her  kinsman  lover  to 
share  his  danger  and  confront  his  foes.  Speechless 
with  grief,  Mrs.  Heatherwood,  too,  could  only  gaze 
at  the  intruder,  as  though  imploring  him  to  spare 
their  guest. 

"I  have  no  time  to  argue,"  were  the  officer's  next 
words.  "If  you  do  not  choose  to  tell  where  those 
garments  are,  it  will  be  my  duty  to  search,  and  my 
men  are  ready." 

"The  laws  of  war,  sir,  do  not  compel  a  prisoner  to 
produce  evidence  on  which  to  hang  himself,  but  I 
hope  you  will  refrain  from  anything  that  may  be  dis- 
tressing to  these  ladies." 

"Step  in  here,  three  of  you,"  was  the  curt  and 
instant  order,  and  the  officer,  uniformed  as  a  major 
of  cavalry,  followed  by  three  troopers,  muddy  as 
himself,  strode  clanking  into  the  hall-way.  Instinc- 
tively Laura  sprang  and  stood  at  the  door  of  the 
nearest  room,  and  the  burly  soldier  saw  it  at  a  glance. 

"In  there,"  he  said,  almost  shouldering  his  way 
past  the  silent,  trembling,  tearful  women,  and  still 
there  stood  Laura,  both  cheeks  and  eyes  aflame  now, 
stretching  her  arms  across  the  space  and  glaring  de- 
fiance at  the  coming  foe. 

13 


194        THE  GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

"Laura,  child,"  expostulated  Mrs.  Heatherwood, 
"you'll  only  make  matters  worse.  Step  aside."  But 
in  the  heart  of  Miss  AVaddell  the  spirit  of  rampant 
rebellion  had  smouldered  long  and  now  burst  into 
flame. 

"Don't  you  dare  lay  hand  on  me,  you — you 
Yankee  villain!"  she  cried,  as  the  officer  coolly 
stretched  forth  a  burly  arm  and  not  too  gently 
grasped  her  rounded  wrist.  "Oh,  you'd,  you'd  pay 
for  this  if  we  were  in  Virginia,"  she  panted,  fiercely 
struggling  now,  for  he  was  calmly  drawing  her  away, 
and  a  private  soldier,  bounding  past  them,  thrust 
open  the  door.  Both  Fairfax  and  Mrs.  Heatherwood 
had  stepped  forward  as  though  to  relieve  the  strange 
officer  of  his  struggling  spitfire  of  a  combatant,  but 
as  the  soldier  disappeared  within  the  darkness  of  the 
room,  a  gust  of  cold  night  air  set  the  lamps  to  flaring 
and  smoking,  and  the  door  swung  to  with  a  slam.  A 
second  trooper  reopened  it  and  followed  the  first. 
Again  the  night  wind  blew  fresh  and  strong  into  the 
open  hall,  and,  borne  on  the  breeze,  came  floating  the 
sound  of  a  cavalry  trumpet,  some  brisk,  merry  signal 
from  the  northward  lane. 

"They're  sounding  forward,  sir,"  sang  out  one  of 
the  men,  "and  this  window's  wide  open,  like  as 
though  some  one  had  jumped  out.     The  curtain's 

twisted "    But,  seizing  the  lantern  borne  by  the 

younger  officer,  the  major  hastened  into  the  room, 
and  looked  about  him.  The  bed,  somewhat  rum- 
pled, stood  at  the  left  of  the  door.    There  was  an  old- 


THE   GENERA VS  DOUBLE.  195 

fashioned  clothes-press,  and  then  a  bureau  and  dress- 
ing-table combined,  a  stand,  and  some  chairs.  There 
were  some  pictures  on  the  walls,  pretty  curtains  at 
the  window  floating  in  the  breeze  on  one  side  and 
twisted  into  a  sort  of  rope  on  the  other,  hanging  out- 
ward. It  was  a  drop  of  seven  or  eight  feet  to  the 
ground,  and  the  major  called  for  instant  search 
below.  A  trooper  or  two,  lantern  bearing,  ran 
around  from  the  rear  and  gave  one  look.  There  in 
the  soft  wet  soil  was  the  print  of  shapely  boots. 
Some  one  had  leaped  from  the  window  and  darted  off 
into  the  shrubbery  within  the  minute  or  two  that  the 
men  had  clustered  on  the  eastward  lawn,  listening 
to  the  sharp  firing  that  burst  upon  the  night  away 
out  over  the  fields  towards  Ilyattstown.  When  the 
major  came  forth  from  the  little  room  his  face  was 
very  grave. 

"Mrs.  Heatherwood,"  said  he,  "my  colonel  re- 
ceived instructions  at  Washington  not  forty-eight 
hours  ago  requiring  that  every  protection  should  be 
accorded  you  and  your  property,  with  the  assurances 
that  you  were  a  loyal  woman.  Yet  at  Poolesville 
to-day  we  are  warned  that  a  spy  was  harbored  in 
your  house,  and  now  that  I  am  sent  here  to  arrest 
him,  I  find  indications  that  there  has  been  more  than 
one." 

"This  lady,  sir,"  interrupted  Fairfax,  hotly,  "was 
utterly  ignorant  of  my  coming.  Your  colonel  heard 
the  truth,  I  came  against  her  express  wish  and  with- 
out her  knowledge,  but  except  her  son  and  nephew, 


196        THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

wounded  and  paroled,  who  are  in  their  beds  iip-stairs, 
no  one  else  is  here  or  has  been  here.  Am  I  not  right, 
madam?" 

"Not  another  soul!"  was  her  low,  firm  answer,  and 
Mrs.  Heatherwood's  wan  face  was  uplifted  proudly 
as  she  spoke. 

Then  of  a  sudden  there  came  from  without  the 
muffled  sound  of  excited  challenge,  and  then,  loud 
and  sharp,  the  ring  of  a  cavalry  carbine  from  the 
shrubbery  on  the  northwestward  side,  a  rush  and 
sputter  of  hoofs,  and  the  major  sprang  through  the 
little  room  to  the  window. 

"What  is  it?  What's  happened?"  he  shouted  to 
a  soldier  who  was  darting  by. 

"A  spy,  sir,  or  something, — a  feller  that  was 
sneaking  away  a-horseback  from  the  bam,  takin'  a 
short  cut  down  among  the  trees  there.  The  moment 
they  challenged  he  clapped  spurs  to  his  horse  and 
rode  like  the  devil.  They  fired  at  him,  but  it's  too 
dark,  sir.     He's  probably  got  away." 

And  now  a  second  time  Belle  Heatherwood  sank 
nerveless  to  the  sofa  and  Fairfax  turned  upon  her 
with  wonderment  and  inquiry  in  his  dark-brown 
eyes.  She  was  trembling  with  dread.  She  hid  her 
face  in  her  hands  and  seemed  to  shrink  from  his  gaze, 
and  again  Mrs.  Heatherwood  bent  to  soothe  her. 
Two  minutes'  search  showed  that  there  was  nothing 
in  the  little  room  even  faintly  resembling  farmer's 
garb,  and  at  this  announcement  Fairfax  looked  at 
Mrs.  Heatherwood  and  she  at  him,  incredulous. 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  197 

"Go  on  to  the  next  room  then,"  ordered  the  major, 
half  angrily,  as  he  turned  once  more  into  the  hall. 
Then  hurriedly  there  entered  the  lieutenant  who  was 
the  first  to  reach  them  that  strange  evening. 

"Major,"  said  he,  "Colonel  Belden  sends  word  that 
he  desires  your  squadron  to  follow  at  once,"  and  it 
sounded  as  though  the  junior  delivered  the  message 
with  no  little  comfort. 

"Then  I  leave  you  in  charge  of  the  prisoner  and 
to  continue  the  search,  sir,"  was  the  sharp  reply. 
"Ladies,  I  hope  I  may  never  have  another  duty  like 
this,"  With  that  he  turned  abruptly  and  went  clank- 
ing from  the  door. 

"Colonel  Belden!"  exclaimed  Fairfax,  in  surprise. 
"May  I  ask  what  Belden,  and  what  regiment?" 

"Colonel  Grosvenor  Belden,  sir,  — th  Pennsyl- 
vania.   He  has  been  our  colonel  less  than  a  week." 

"And  he  is  here — near  us?" 

"iSTot  two  miles  away  when  I  came  forward.  We 
are  marching  to  the  Monocacy,  where  we  expect 
orders  to  meet  us.  The  whole  country  knows  by  this 
time  that  Stuart's  up  there  somewhere,  and  we  hope 
to  find  him  at  daybreak."^ 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

Midnight  came  and  Heatlierwood  was  still  as  the 
grave.  Even  the  plash  and  patter  of  rain-drops  had 
ceased,  thongh  once  in  a  while  the  night  wind,  sigh- 
ing by,  would  stir  the  trees  and  shower  the  place  be- 
neath. The  sounds  of  distant  battle  that  were  wafted 
on  the  breeze  an  hour  earlier  had  ceased  as  suddenly 
as  they  began.  Up  on  Sugar  Loaf  the  signal-men 
seemed  keeping  ceaseless  vigil,  and  from  time  to  time 
their  torches  swung  some  message  to  distant  towers 
on  the  Catoctin.  Ralph  Heatlierwood,  sleepless  with 
excitement,  had  been  moved  to  a  room  at  the  north- 
east corner,  from  whose  windows  he  could  gaze  out 
over  the  black  void  before  him,  broken  only  by  the 
occasional  flare  of  that  signal-torch.  With  his  glasses 
he  searched  in  vain  for  tiny  ground  lights  that  might 
tell  of  the  movement  of  troops,  but  northward  and 
northeastward  not  a  spark  could  be  seen.  From 
Tighlman's  windows  on  the  south  side,  through  rifts 
in  the  thinning  foliage,  they  could  make  out  bivouac 
fires  down  along  the  towpath  to  the  southwest 
towards  Conrad's  Ferry,  and  over  the  rolling  fields 
towards  Poolesville.  But  the  Virginia  shores  beyond 
were  invisible  in  one  general  pall,  neither  star  above 
nor  spark  below  relieving  the  black  monotony. 
Tighlman,  too,  half  dressed,  was  hobbling  fretfully 
198 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  199 

about  his  room,  a  prey  to  a  dozen  hopes,  fears,  and 
perturbations.  He  had  looked  on  Fairfax  not  a  year 
agone  with  jealous  hate,  and  had  even  taken  to  the 
Xew  Yorker,  Lowndes,  because  he,  too,  seemed  re- 
jected and  wearing  the  willow,  and  together  they  had 
gloomily  spent  several  days  at  Frederick,  and  then 
had  gone  into  Baltimore  for  a  whirl  at  the  club,  but 
there  Tighlman  found  the  Gothamite  set  a  pace  too 
fast  for  his  untutored  head  and  stomach,  and  he, 
falling  early  by  the  way-side,  repented  of  his  folly, 
while  his  more  seasoned  associate  kept  at  his  cups 
until  prostrated  by  illness  that  so  alarmed  his  friends 
as  to  lead  to  their  notifying  the  woman  who  seemed  a 
saint  to  all  men,  Xorth  or  South,  who  knew  her, — 
Madam  Heatherwood ;  and  she  had  come  and  nursed 
Lowndes  as  a  mother  might  have  done  had  mother 
been  spared  to  him.  Tighlman  saw  no  more  of  him. 
He  went  back  to  Heatherwood  to  reopen  the  siege, 
but  found  Belle  intractable  and  far  more  disturbed 
about  his  Xew  York  friend  than  about  himself.  She 
plied  her  cousin  with  questions  about  Lowndes,  re- 
fusing to  answer  as  to  Fairfax,  who  had  gone  back 
to  Leesburg  for  a  few  days  before  the  expiration  of 
his  leave,  and  Tighlman  left  the  Towers  with  jealous 
heart  and  went  abroad,  as  we  have  seen,  and  then — 
forgot  all  about  it. 

jSTow  here  he  was  again  at  Heatherwood,  and 
Floyd  Fairfax  was  again  beneath  its  roof,  lured 
thither  by  his  love  for  Belle,  no  doubt,  despite  the 
project  for  a  signal-system,  and  that  visit  had  cost 
him  his  liberty  and  might  cost  him  his  life. 


200        THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

Yielding  to  Mrs.  Heatlierwood's  appeal,  the  lieu- 
tenant left  in  charge  of  the  prisoner  had  consented 
to  pass  the  night  with  his  guard  under  her  roof 
rather  than  expose  a  still  enfeebled  man  to  the  pelt- 
ing of  the  rain.  The  camp  at  the  Monocacy  would 
be  damp  at  best,  and  would  he  not  be  just  as  safe 
here?  she  argued.  Lieutenant  Wardner  was  a  gen- 
tleman who  believed  in  square  fight  in  the  field  and 
no  unnecessary  friction  at  other  times.  He  couldn't 
hit  a  man  who  was  down.  He  was  ordered  to  con- 
tinue the  search  for  that  farmer's  suit,  so,  wliile  some 
of  his  men  rummaged  in  room  after  room, — no  one 
of  course  daring  to  inform  him  that  the  important 
bundle  had  most  mysteriously  been  spirited  away 
from  the  very  first  room  opened, — Wardner,  with 
armed  troopers  in  the  hall  and  at  the  window,  sat  in 
the  parlor  with  his  captive,  chatting,  as  soldiers  will, 
as  though  no  thought  of  enmity  had  ever  existed. 
Before  midnight  Mrs.  Heatherwood  with  Belle  had 
retired  to  a  room  where  they  were  urged  to  try  to 
sleep,  but  not  an  eyelid  closed  save  those  of  the 
drowsy  negroes  up  to  the  time  the  old  Dutch  clock, 
ticking  solemnly  in  the  hall-way,  trolled  in  pro- 
longed, mellow  notes  the  hour  of  two.  Despite  the 
fact  that  Stuart  with  his  bold  raiders  was  somewhere 
there  to  the  dripping  north,  that  war  to  the  knife  was 
waging  between  the  sections,  ISTorth  and  South,  the 
silence  of  utter  solitude  had  fallen  on  the  heart  of 
Maryland. 

"Where  on  earth  do  you  suppose  Stuart  is  to- 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  201 

niglit?"  "was  the  question  Tiglilman  asked  his  cousin, 
as  the  latter  came  limping  over  a  little  after  twelve, 
and  Heatherwood  shook  his  head. 

"God  knows,"  said  he.  "They've  got  men  enough 
gathering  about  us  to  swallow  him  alive.  I  don't  see 
how  he  can  come  this  way.  I  don't  see  how  he  can 
get  back,  anyway." 

And,  indeed,  the  Union  men  were  gathering  in 
desperate  earnest  as  well  as  in  urgent  haste.  Down 
in  the  valley  to  the  west  two  Maine  regiments  of  in- 
fantry were  guarding  the  aqueduct  and  the  Mono- 
cacy  crossing.  Down  the  towpath  to  the  southwest 
near  Conrad's  were  Clark  and  his  !N^ew  Hampshire 
men,  in  close  touch  with  other  infantry  from  Stone- 
man's  force  at  Poolesville.  Up  the  valley  of  the 
j\Ionocacy,  crossing  to  the  west  bank  at  midnight, 
rode  a  tall,  athletic,  most  soldierly  looking  young 
colonel  at  the  head  of  four  strong  squadrons  of  Penn- 
sylvanians,  the  silver  eagles  of  his  shoulder-straps 
apparently  brand-new.  Over  on  the  pike  near 
Hyattstown  old  Foulweather  was  swearing  like  the 
pirate  his  men  declared  him  to  be,  for  with  his  fatal 
propensity  to  butt  his  head  against  a  stone  wall,  he 
had  succeeded  in  bringing  on  a  sharp  fight  in  the 
dark,  crippling  some  of  his  own  men  and  knocking 
spots  out  of  a  squadron  that,  knowing  nothing  of  his 
being  in  that  neighborhood,  had  opened  fire  on  a 
scouting  party  that  came  jingling  in  towards  Hyatts- 
town from  the  northwest.  The  squadron  commander 
had  the  not  unreasonable  supposition  that  here  was 


202  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

Stuart  himself,  since  all  Union  cavalry  was  marcliing 
the  opposite  way,  and  challenged  sharply.  Foul- 
weather  when  challenged  had  instantly  ordered  the 
troop  to  charge  and  clear  the  road,  which  Treacy  did 
in  tremendous  style,  only  to  fetch  up  standing  in  a 
whole  circle  of  fire  flashes  and  the  midst  of  blas- 
phemous men  in  muddy  blue. 

"You  fired  on  us  furrest!"   howled  Treacy. 

"You  ran  down  our  advance,"  yelled  the  opposing 
commander.     "Who  in  paradise  are  you,  anyhow?" 

" — th  Regulars  and  be  dashed  to  you!  You've 
shot  three  of  my  best  harrses.  Hwat  were  ye  before 
we  broke  the  backs  av  ye?"  demanded  Treacy,  for 
Foulweather  was  picking  himself  out  of  the  wreck 
of  a  cart  his  horse  had  tripped  over. 

" — th  Pennsylvania.  Dash,  dash,  double  dash  you 
for  a  gang  of  blear-eyed,  butt-headed  idiots!  Get 
out  of  our  way  and  let  us  straighten  out!" 

And  so  between  execrations  and  exertions  the  offi- 
cers gradually  got  their  men  into  column  again,  and 
then  Foulweather  damned  a  trooper  off  his  horse  and 
climbed  into  saddle  and  bade  Treacy  gather  up  the 
debris  and  let  the  Keystone  cavalry  by. 

"Wait  till  we  finish  this  business,"  said  he,  shaking 
a  brawny  fist  at  the  opposing  major,  "and  I'll  give 
your  colonel  a  lesson  he'll  not  forget  in  a  hurry. 
Where  is  he,  and  what's  his  name?" 

"Half-way  to  Frederick  by  this  time  and  waiting 
for  us  at  the  Monocacy,  where  we  might  have  been 
but  for  your  infernal  blundering.     You  talk  to  our 


THE  GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  203 

colonel,  if  you  think  it  wise,  dasli,  dasli  you.  He's 
a  regular  of  the  right  sort,  which  you're  not.  Gros- 
venor  Eelden's  his  name,  and  I'll  warrant  you  he'll 
meet  you  more  than  half-way." 

Foulweather's  jaw  dropped  like  lead.  "Grosvenor 
Belden!"  he  cried.  "Since  when  has /le  been  a  colo- 
nel, I'd  like  to  know?" 

"Since  the  first  of  the  week,  sir.  And  who  shall 
I  tell  him  charged  his  fourth  squadron  without 
answering  challenge?"  demanded  the  Pennsylva- 
nian,  wrathful  to  the  core. 

"Tell  him,  by  God !  you  tell  him  you  were  ridden 
down,  your  whole  damned  squadron,  by  a  platoon 
of  his  old  regiment,  that  he  ought  to  be  with  this 
night  instead  of  tin  soldiering  with  a  lot  of  yahoos 
that  don't  know  a  horse  from  a  hospital.  Go  your 
way,"  he  raved,  furiously,  "and  thank  God  there  was 
only  thirty  of  us  in  it,  and  be  damned  civil  to  those 
of  ours  that  you  pass  along  the  pike,  or  you'll  get 
into  more  trouble." 

Pleasant  talk  did  troopers  deal  in  during  those 
halcyon  days  that  tried  men's  souls — and  tempers, 
and  neither  leader  felt  the  better  for  that  hapless 
clash  in  the  darkness.  Stirring  up  the  inmates  of  a 
neighboring  farm-house,  who  were  scared  half  out  of 
their  wits  already,  the  regulars  bore  within  their 
door  the  half-dozen  shot  or  sabred  men  of  both  par- 
ties, gave  the  coup  de  grace  to  the  wounded  and  suf- 
fering horses,  and  then  came  the  question,  "What 
next?" 


204        THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

Up  to  the  moment  of  the  catastrophe,  Foulweather 
had  been  full  of  hope,  pluck,  and  fire.  Confident 
that  he  would  get  farther  out  to  the  front  than  any- 
body else,  even  Mcintosh,  and  be  the  first  to  tackle 
Stuart  in  the  morning,  he  had  pursued  his  northward 
way  unhesitatingly,  but  now,  as  the  squadron  stood 
horse  in  the  dark  and  empty  fields,  he  gazed  miser- 
ably to  the  northwest,  the  direction  of  the  pike,  and 
was  at  a  loss  what  to  do  or  say.  It  had  just  dawned 
upon  him  that,  in  his  eagerness  to  keep  his  own 
counsel  and  command,  he  had  separated  himself 
from  the  men  who  might  know  something  of  Stuart's 
movements,  and  here  was  Belden,  colonel  of  volun- 
teers after  all,  the  position  that  the  young  captain  so 
eagerly  had  sought  before,  and  the  chances  were,  two 
to  one,  that  that  hated  Belden  had  the  "tip"  as  to 
Stuart's  route,  and  had  been  hurried  towards  Fred- 
erick purposely  to  meet  him. 

And  this  meant  that,  of  all  men  in  the  world,  Bel- 
den, Grosvenor  Belden,  was  now  between  him  and 
Stuart,  with  every  chance  of  being  first  to  strike  the 
foe  in  the  morning. 

"Mount!  Sound  the  mount!"  ordered  Foul- 
weather,  as  with  savage  oath  he  sprang  into  saddle. 
"By  fours,  Treacy,  and  come  lively." 

An  hour  later,  despite  weariness  and  hunger,  the 
squadrons  were  jogging  away  northwestward,  follow- 
ing the  pike  to  the  crossing  of  the  Monocacy  and  on 
up  towards  Frederick,  meeting  now  and  then  belated 
and  bewildered  orderlies  and  couriers,  whom  Foul- 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  205 

weather  would  eagerly  question,  and  who  could  only 
tell  that  Belden's  squadrons  were  still  in  the  lead, 
and  that  Stuart  was  raising  merry  hades  far  beyond 
him.  And  so  it  happened  that  when  the  cold  gray 
dawn  crept  into  the  eastward  sky,  and  slowly,  reluc- 
tantly lifted  the  pall  of  night  from  the  sodden  fields 
and  muddy  lanes  and  dripping  copses,  most  of  the 
Union  cavalry  in  that  part  of  Maryland  had  been 
drawn  away  far  up  the  west  bank  of  the  Monocacy  to 
head  off  Stuart,  who,  laughing  in  his  gray  sleeve,  was 
trotting  swiftly  far  down  the  east  bank;  and  just  at 
sunrise,  after  a  twisting,  tortuous,  but  most  hilarious 
all-night  march,  mostly  at  the  trot,  with  about  a 
thousand  fresh  horses  from  Southern  Pennsylvania, 
with  new  clothes  and  boots  and  weapons  for  many  of 
his  men,  with  only  two  or  three  troopers  missing, 
and  Pelham's  guns  clinking  merrily  as  ever  in  the 
column,  Stuart  burst  out  upon  the  jDike  just  where 
Foulweather  crashed  into  the  Pennsylvanians  eight 
hours  before,  and  there  wasn't  a  single  squadron  to 
oppose  him. 

A  wonderful  march  had  he  had.  Yet  when  Stuart 
left  Chambersburg  on  Saturday  morning,  after 
burning  the  railway  shops  and  trains,  and  destroying 
such  public  property  and  stores  and  arms  as  he  could 
not  carry  away,  he  well  knew  that  an  eventful  day 
was  before  him,  and  that  only  by  most  adroit,  rapid 
and  daring  movement  could  he  hope  to  dodge  his 
way  through  to  the  Potomac.  By  this  time  he  felt 
assured  the  valley  of  the  Antietam  was  swarming 


206  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

with  troops,  assembled  there,  and  along  the  Cono- 
cocheagiie  to  the  west,  to  head  him  off  should  he 
return  that  way.  By  this  time  Averill,  with  all  the 
force  at  his  disposal,  and  Cox,  with  his  division  of 
infantry,  would  be  lining  the  upper  river  towards 
Cumberland.  Southward,  however,  east  of  the  Blue 
Ridge,  the  broad,  beautiful  valley  of  the  Monocacy 
was  comparatively  open,  and  Frederick,  crammed 
with  wounded  and  convalescents,  filled  with  stores 
and  supplies,  and  guarded  only  by  a  little  force  of 
cavalry  and  infantry,  was  a  tempting  bait  to  lure  him 
down  the  right  bank  of  that  storied  stream.  East- 
ward, however,  he  headed  his  columns,  leaving 
Hampton  to  bring  up  the  rear  and  beat  back  pursuers 
should  any  appear, — eastward  as  though  he  meant 
to  burst  through  the  South  Mountain  and  swoop 
down  on  Gettysburg,  lying  there  defenceless  in  the 
heart  of  the  beautiful  farming  country  beyond.  And 
that  was  how  the  cry  went  up  that  Gettysburg,  too, 
was  to  be  sacked  and  burned,  but  even  while  the 
governor  of  Pennsylvania  was  urging  that  troops  be 
ordered  thither  by  rail,  Stuart  dodged  to  the  right. 
Xo  sooner  was  the  gray  column  (headed,  so  they  say, 
by  certain  squadrons  all  tricked  out,  spick  and  span, 
in  Yankee  blue)  safely  through  the  range,  than  it 
turned  southward,  marching  leisurely  yet,  for 
Stuart's  object  was  to  delude  and  deceive;  then,  back 
by  the  road  to  the  southwest,  again  he  pierces  the 
range,  and  scouts  and  citizens,  who  watch  him  from 
afar,  give  tongue  that  the  fox  has  doubled  and  is 


THE  GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  207 

coming  back  to  Hagerstown,  where,  too,  are  huge 
stores  and  supplies  and  heavy  battalions  of  infantry 
ready  to  receive  him.  Six  or  eight  miles,  until  the 
sun  is  high,  does  he  march  for  all  the  world  as  though 
he  meant  to  dare  the  whole  Union  force  to  the  west 
of  the  mountains,  and  then,  after  long  hours  of  easy 
jog,  gathering  in  horses  from  every  side  as  he  rides 
along,  the  wary  leader  once  more  turns  abruptly 
towards  the  east  and  darts  for  Emmittsburg,  close  to 
the  boundary  line,  and  here  the  Southern  sympa- 
thizers cheer  him  to  the  echo,  so  he  says,  and  here, 
while  rejoicing  in  their  joy,  he  misses  one  splendid 
chance,  for  a  big  scouting  party  of  Dick  Rush's  swell 
lancers  had  only  just  passed  northeastward  up  the 
pike  towards  Gettysburg,  looking  for  him  in  that 
quarter,  but  never  intending,  we  may  be  assured,  to 
jeopard  their  own  safety  by  running  far  into  those 
clutches.  They  are  to  be  the  eyes  of  the  army,  to 
peer  about  the  valley  towards  the  old  seminary  town 
and  send  word  back  what  Stuart  is  doing  and 
whither  he  is  going.  Yet  here  comes  Stuart  from  the 
westward,  not  the  north,  slips  in  between  this  ven- 
turesome party  and  its  main  body  do^vn  towards 
Frederick,  captures  within  the  hour  the  colonel's 
couriers  galloping  after  its  commander  with  de- 
spatches which  Stuart  joyously  reads  to  his  staff,  and 
laughs  over  the  perplexity  he  is  causing.  Then  away 
he  goes  again  as  the  night  wears  on,  this  time  straight 
for  Frederick,  and  every  soul  in  its  rapidly  augment- 
ing garrison  believes  him  still  far  up  in  Pennsyl- 


208  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

vania;  othel'wise,  tlie  lancers  on  the  lookont  would 
surely  have  sent  warning.  There  is  actually  nothing 
now  to  prevent  his  dashing  down  and  sabring  the 
outposts  of  the  beautiful  old  Maryland  town,  nothing 
but  the  realization  that,  just  as  skilfully  as  he  has 
slipped  in  between  the  detachments  of  the  enemy, 
"all  ascout"  for  him,  so  may  he  slip  out,  and  all  their 
traps  be  unavailing.  Darkness  comes  to  aid  him, 
and  even  while  Pleasonton,  with  eight  hundred 
cavalry  and  Pennington's  light  guns,  after  struggling 
through  the  rocky  passes  of  Harmony  Gap  in  the 
Catoctins,  reaches  Mechanicstown  at  half-past  eight 
and  halts,  wearied  with  his  long,  long  day  of  march- 
ing to  and  fro,  Stuart's  light-heeled  column,  moving 
at  the  trot, — with  daring  fellows  far  in  the  advance 
and  out  on  either  flank  wherever  there  is  road  or  by- 
way, riding  as  though  they  had  known  each  lane 
from  boyhood,  halting  at  times  to  feed,  water,  and 
care  for  their  stock,  to  drink  their  coffee  or  sample 
Maryland  cider, — crosses  the  Monocacy  away  above 
Frederick  and  passes  through  the  little  village  of 
]\liddletown  just  at  midnight,  only  five  miles  from 
where  Pleasonton's  jaded  column  waits  expectant  of 
his  coming  from  the  north,  instead  of  which  he  is 
slipping  around  the  easternmost  pickets  and  patrols. 
And  now,  leaving  nearly  all  the  Union  horse, 
regular  or  volunteer,  west  of  the  Monocacy,  away 
rides  Stuart,  free  and  untrammelled,  bequeathing  to 
Pleasonton  after  all  only  the  galling  fortunes  of  a 
stern  chase.  Thanks  to  their  ill  condition  at  the  start, 


THE   GENERALS  DOUBLE.  209 

thanks  to  long  delay  in  getting  news  or  orders, 
thanks  to  having  gone  far  west  of  Hagerstown  at  the 
very  moment  when  the  foe  was  far  to  the  northeast, 
thanks  to  rough  and  rocky  roads  and  unseasoned 
horses,  the  little  Union  column  is  well-nigh  spent 
when  it  halts  at  ]\Iechanicsto^vn  and  sends  patrols  out 
scouting  north  and  east,  only  to  learn  an  hour  after 
midnight  that  instead  of  interposing  between  Stuart 
and  the  Virginia  shore,  as  Pleasonton  intended,  he 
has  been  outridden  by  the  nimble  Virginian,  who, 
giving  him  the  slip,  is  already  far  ahead.  Dis- 
heartened, but  determined,  Pleasonton  calls  up  his 
men  and,  by  two  o'clock  this  still  and  should-be- 
peaceful  Sunday  morning,  takes  the  shortest  route  to 
the  mouth  of  the  Monocacy,  and  just  as  the  first 
faint  streaks  of  dawn  are  lighting  the  eastern  skies 
he  rides  through  Frederick,  even  as  the  advance  of 
Stuart,  ten  miles  away  to  the  southeast,  dashes  boldly 
out  upon  the  Washington  Pike  at  Hyattstown. 

Sunday  morning,  and  over  farm  and  hamlet  east- 
ward the  angel  of  jaeace  seems  still  to  have  folded  her 
^vings,  yet  all  through  these  erstwhile  qiiiet  old 
Maryland  towns,  Monrovia,  Liberty,  Woodsborough, 
the  lights  have  been  flitting  for  hours,  and  honest 
burghers  jabbering  excitedly.  Such  a  night  they 
had  never  known  before.  Two  thousand  rebel  cav- 
alry have  been  passing  through  since  midnight,  and 
it  seemed  like  twenty  thousand,  and  as  though  they 
could  never  cease,  and  all  this  time,  mth  all  this 

trouble,  only  once  does  a  Union  force,  big  or  little, 

14 


210        THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

come  witliin  pistol  range  of  the  main  body.  Away 
over  towards  Gettysburg  a  little  knot  of  gray -jackets, 
thrown  well  out  to  cover  Stuart's  flank,  is  charged 
by  some  mounted  horse-guards,  who  claim  five 
prisoners  as  the  result.  But  the  column  itself  was 
miles  away  to  the  westward  at  the  moment,  appar- 
ently moving  back  towards  Hagerstown.  But  this 
midnight  betwixt  Saturday  and  Sunday  one  of 
Hush's  troops,  scouting  into  Woodsborough,  finds  the 
town  agog  with  excitement  and  squadron  after 
squadron  of  Stuart's  cavaliers  trotting  through,  and 
wisely  the  lancers  do  not  make  their  presence  known. 
Just  one  straggler  does  the  column  leave  behind, — 
young  Scott,  of  the  First  Virginia,  whom  the  lancers 
had  nabbed  far  in  rear  of  his  comrades  and  led  before 
their  colonel.  ''A  most  intelligent  young  man,"  said 
Kush, — a  young  man  who  entertains  him  with  full 
description  of  the  composition  of  the  command,  and 
how  it  came  and  how  it  proposed  to  return;  and, 
furthermore,  Scott  entertains  no  fear  for  either 
Stuart's  safety  or  his  own.  Sunday  morning,  and 
already  in  Frederick  there  are  bells  a-chiming,  sum- 
moning the  faithful  to  arise  and  worship,  while  mud- 
bespattered  troopers  and  black-mouthed  cannon  are 
hurrying  southward  through  the  stony  streets. 
Away  down  the  Monocacy  the  Maine  regiments  have 
thrown  out  companies  on  every  road,  and  there  they 
stand  and  shiver,  so  many  spectres  in  light-blue  over- 
coats, wondering  which  way  that  bewildering  Stuart 
will  really  come.     And  far  to  the  northeast,  Mcln- 


THE  GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  211 

tosh,  with  his  squadron,  has  crossed  the  Baltimore 
and  Ohio  track  during  the  night  and  found  the  line 
and  wires  all  right,  yet  when  he  sends  back  orderlies 
with  despatches  to  be  forwarded  by  telegraph  at 
dawn,  the  operator  shakes  his  head  and  looks  fear- 
fully westward.  ]^o  trains  are  moving,  and  the  lines 
have  all  been  cut  within  the  hour.  Somewhere 
towards  dawn,  old  Foulweather,  bivouacking  in  the 
fields  southeast  of  Frederick  and  close  to  the  Mono- 
cacy,  is  electrified  by  the  news  brought  in  by  a 
farmer  from  near  Monrovia  over  to  the  east  of  them, 
— that  the  rebels  were  actually  riding  into  Liberty 
two  hours  before;  and,  though  men  and  horses  have 
had  hardly  two  hours'  sleep,  the  veteran  routs  them 
out  again,  and  noiselessly,  so  as  to  give  no  informa- 
tion to  Belden,  whose  detested  squadrons  are  resting 
half  a  mile  above,  away  he  leads  northeastward, 
with  the  unwilling  farmer  as  his  guide,  bound  to 
recross  the  stream  and  be  the  first  to  challenge  and 
bait  the  coming  foe.  But  Liberty  is  much  farther 
than  he  thought.  Xot  until  long  after  daylight  does 
he  reach  the  excited  village,  to  find  nothing  of  the 
rebel  column  but  its  muddy  trail.  Stuart,  said  the 
villagers,  had  gone  south  hours  before,  and  must  be 
crossing  the  Potomac  now.  Foulweather  could  have 
turned  in  pursuit  at  once,  but  here  was  grain  in 
abundance;  his  horses  had  had  no  mouthful  since 
noon  the  day  before,  had  been  marching  almost  con- 
stantly, and  so  he  ordered  dismount,  unsaddle,  water, 


212  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

feed,  and  feast,  as  best  tliey  could,  tlirew  himself 
upon  a  bench  at  the  village  tavern,  and  opened  the 
Sabbath-day  services  with  a  string  of  bitter  execra- 
tion, just  as  the  flags  on  Sugar  Loaf  began  to  swing 
in  mad  earnest,  for  away  down  in  the  open  fields 
about  Hyattstown  the  lookouts  could  faintly  dis- 
tinguish dense  masses  of  moving  objects  that,  as  the 
light  grew  stronger,  proved  to  be  cavalry  with  led 
horses  and  wagons  galore, — cavalry  mainly  in  gray 
uniform, 

Sunday  morning  at  Heatherwood,  and  hour  after 
hour  while  some  of  the  inmates  slept  others  kept 
watch  and  ward,  and  just  at  daybreak,  at  least  as 
soon  as  it  grew  light  enough  to  see,  Tighlman,  limp- 
ing from  his  bed  to  the  adjoining  room,  heard  his 
name  called  in  eager  and  excited  tone,  and  found 
his  fellow-captain  crouching  by  the  open  casement 
gazing  with  eager  eyes  through  his  binocular. 

"Look,  Brad,"  cried  Heatherwood.  "Look,  and 
thank  God!  Oh,  if  Fairfax,  too,  could  only  see  it. 
By  heaven,  I  must  tell  him!"  And  forgetful  of 
pain,  wounds,  or  peril,  the  young  officer  hobbled  to 
the  head  of  the  stairs,  and  the  halls  of  the  old  home- 
stead rang  and  re-echoed  to  his  joyous  cry:  "Fairfax ! 
Fairfax,  old  boy!  Take  heart,  man!  Here  we  are, 
not  five  miles  away.  Stuart  in  force,  by  all  that's 
glorious!" 

And  out  on  the  lawn  there  was  instant  response, 
and  men  in  blue  took  up  the  cry  with  variations  of 


THE  GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  213 

their  own,  and  horses,  tethered  to  the  trees  by  the 
winding  roadside,  snorted  in  sympathy  with  the  stir 
and  excitement,  and  down  in  the  timber  by  the  river 
bank  a  hoarse  thunder  of  drum  began,  and  then, 
shrill,  blaring,  and  insistent,  the  bugles  struck  up  the 
thrilling  call,  "To  arms!" 


CHAPTER  Xiy. 

Sunday  morning,  and,  apparently  unconscious  of 
coming  battle,  the  farm  and  village  people  on  the 
broad  plateau  southeast  of  Heatherwood  are  donning 
their  Sunday  best,  and  many  a  stout  father  of  the 
family  has  hitched  in  the  farm  team  to  drive  the 
good  wife  and  brood  to  Monocacy  church  at  the  cross- 
roads north  of  Poolesville.  Sunday  morning,  and 
over  on  the  Virginia  Kittoctans  eager,  anxious  eyes 
are  gazing  across  the  Potomac,  studying  the  distant 
fields  of  Southern  Maryland,  while  throbbing  hearts 
are  praying  for  the  safety  of  their  hero  Stuart.  Sun- 
day morning,  and  the  signal-towers  on  the  loftiest 
summits  are  flagging  thrilling  messages  to  and  fro, 
and  here  at  Sugar  Loaf  the  occupants  watch  with 
keen  anxiety  every  movement  of  the  massing  foe  so 
close  at  hand.  Thirteen  hundred  feet  in  air  their 
eyrie  towers  over  the  plain,  but  less  than  forty-eight 
hours  ago  some  of  these  same  indefatigable  riders 
galloped  up  the  twisting  road  to  Fairview,  sixty  miles 
to  the  west,  and  played  havoc  with  the  signal-station 
there.  Suppose  it  should  occur  to  Stuart  to  detach 
a  troop  or  two  to  clamber  Sugar  Loaf  and  raid  their 
lofty  rookery.  Suppose  it  should  occur  to  Pelham, 
trotting  out  yonder  with  a  brace  of  those  light  guns 

he  sights  as  a  Kentuckian  would  sight  a  squirrel  rifle, 
214 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  215 

to  unlimber  one  of  his  pets,  sink  the  trail  into  the 
ditch  bejond  the  road,  and  risk  an  axle  tossing  high 
a  few  shells,  just  to  try  the  range  to  Sugar  Loaf's 
summit.  Lieutenant  Carey  can  be  excused  for  think- 
ing how  Roe  and  Rowley  were  chased  from  their 
station  the  misty  morning  of  two  days  gone  by,  but 
Carey  sticks  to  his  post  and  watches  like  a  cat.  Sun- 
day morning,  and  the  companies  sent  out  to  picket 
the  roads  are  peeping  through  snake  fences  and 
hedgerows  at  those  far-away  gray  squadrons,  and 
wondering  will  Stuart  come  their  way  (in  which  case 
the  quicker  they  scurry  back  to  supports  the  safer  it 
will  be),  or  will  he  take  some  other  road  and  leave 
them  undisturbed?  Sunday  morning,  with  the  sun 
an  hour  high,  and  there  is  thrill  and  excitement  and 
swift  riding  to  and  fro  everywhere  along  the  river 
from  Point  of  Rocks  to  Edward's  Ferry,  and  all 
along  the  Monocacy,  for  has  not  the  Iron  Secretary 
wired  from  Washington  that  not  a  man  of  that  in- 
vading host  must  be  allowed  to  escape  back  to  Vir- 
ginia? Stoneman  commanding  at  Poolesville,  and 
Ward  at  Conrad's  Ferry,  and  Pleasonton,  with  his 
exhausted  command  strung  out  in  long  column 
northward  from  the  bank  of  the  Monocacy,  which  he 
reaches  with  his  advance  at  eight  o'clock,  and  Burn- 
side's  brigades  over  to  the  west,  are  all  striving  to 
throw  a  force  across  the  path  of  the  dim  gray  squad- 
rons coming  swiftly  southward  now,  covered  by  their 
veil  of  skirmishers,  making  straight  for  Poolesville, — 
so  straight  that  Stoneman's  outposts,  falling  back  to 


216  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

avoid  capture,  sjDread  the  tale  that  Poolesville  will 
be  attacked  within  an  honr,  and  that  Edward's 
Ferry,  or  possibly — barely  possibly — Conrad's,  is 
Stuart's  objective  point.  Burdened  with  led  horses 
and  with  the  persons  of  civil  officials  whom  he  cannot 
parole  and  is  ordered  to  bring  with  him  to  be  held 
as  hostages,  the  blond-bearded  leader  rides  with  more 
deliberation  now,  and  it  is  beautiful  to  see  the  style 
and  skill  and  finish  with  which  his  advance  and 
flankers  do  their  trooper  work.  The  masses  of  the 
main  body  issue  from  Hyattstown  about  as  the  sun 
is  rising.  No  stop  for  breakfast  this  time,  gentlemen. 
We'll  lunch  in  Loudoun  County  in  comfort  later  on, 
say  the  aides.  But  while  these  masses,  with  the 
prisoners  and  the  led  horses,  are  moved  steadily 
southward  on  the  Poolesville  road,  other  squadrons, 
with  two  of  Pelham's  light  guns,  are  far  to  the  front. 
Other  platoons  and  sections  are  spurring  out  on  every 
lane,  south,  east,  and  west.  Every  little  ridge  and 
hillock  is  held  and  occupied,  every  roadway  picketed 
against  the  coming  of  formidable  force.  Before 
their  dash  the  scattered  fragments  of  Union  cavalry, 
still  in  the  neighborhood,  recoil  upon  their  slim  re- 
serves, and  the  word  goes  flying  right  and  left,  "Look 
out  for  Poolesville;  Stuart's  heading  there!"  Far 
to  the  north  still  Hampton,  who  led  the  advance, 
now  covers  the  rear,  and  it  is  late  as  seven  o'clock 
when  his  rearmost  troop  lets  go  at  Liberty  and  trots 
away  to  Monrovia,  turning  from  time  to  time  to  show 
its  f^ngs  to  the  few  pursuing  scouts.     Away  up  the 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  217 

]\Ionocacy  the  lancers  and  the  Maine  cavalry  are 
nibbing  their  eyes  and  wondering  how  it  was  possible 
for  Stuart  to  go  so  fast  and  clear  around  them,  and 
Belden,  "svith  his  newly  recruited  but  enthusiastic 
Pennsylvanians,  is  raging  over  the  orders  that  sent 
him  far  to  the  west  of  the  river  when  his  own  in- 
stincts warned  him  to  keep  to  the  east.  And  away 
up  at  Liberty  poor  Foulweather  is  grinding  his  teeth 
in  bitter  wrath  and  dismay,  for  Stuart  has  tricked 
them  one  and  all,  has  ridden  one  hundred  miles  in 
twenty-four  hours,  and,  still  alert,  jaunty,  and  debo- 
nair, comes  trotting  out  upon  the  open  fields  to  the 
east  of  Heatherwood  to  choose  his  homeward  path 
across  the  broad  Potomac. 

Sunday  morning,  and  the  hour  has  come  at 
Heatherwood  when  for  all  the  years  of  her  occu- 
pancy it  was  the  custom  of  the  gentle  mistress  to 
summon  her  household  about  her  in  the  southeast 
parlor  for  family  prayers.  Here  lies  the  sacred  vol- 
ume on  its  accustomed  table,  but  no  worshippers 
kneel  at  the  quaint  old-fashioned  chairs  and  sofa  or 
on  the  matting-covered  floor.  A  fire  has  been  started 
during  the  night  in  the  \\dde  fireplace,  but  is  smoul- 
dering now.  The  shades  and  blinds  are  tightly  drawn, 
and  only  a  dim,  ghostly  light  penetrates  an  empty 
room,  silent  and  neglected  in  the  midst  of  stir  and 
bustle  and  excitement  and  sound  of  scurrying  feet 
and  straining  voices  such  as  Heatherwood  had  never 
known  before. 

In  Kalph's  room  overhead  are  his  mother^  with 


218        THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

Belle  and  Laura,  the  former  pale  and  silent,  the  lat- 
ter flushed  and  radiant,  and  the  three  Confederate 
officers,  Fairfax,  Heatherwood,  and  Tighlman,  with 
their  embarrassed  guardian,  the  young  officer  of  the 
cavalry  guard.  Aunt  Chloe  and  her  husband  have 
prepared  breakfast,  and  the  table  is  spread  and  ready, 
but  no  one  heeds.  To  the  scandal  of  these  old-time 
domestics,  the  hall  doors,  front  and  rear,  are  open, 
and  soldiers  in  muddy  boots  clank  through  and 
through  without  so  much  as  "by  your  leave."  In- 
deed, nothing  but  the  presence  of  the  sentry  at  the 
drawing-room  door  prevents  the  hungry  intruders 
from  helping  themselves,  as  most  of  them  have  done 
in  the  kitchen,  where  Aunt  Chloe  has  been  making 
coffee  and  corn-bread  since  earliest  dawn.  Tighl- 
man, trembling  with  weakness  and  excitement,  has 
had  to  lie  down  again.  Fairfax  and  Ralph,  with 
their  glasses,  crouch  at  the  eastern  window.  The 
Union  lieutenant,  placed  in  the  most  embarrassing 
position  he  has  ever  known,  conceives  it  to  be  his 
duty  to  keep  Fairfax  constantly  within  reach,  yet 
will  not  curb  or  hamper  him  in  any  way.  Mrs. 
Heatherwood,  in  whose  gentle  eyes  the  tears  are 
welling,  is  seated  close  by  Tighlman's  couch,  with 
Belle  sometimes  crouching  at  her  feet,  sometimes 
starting  up  in  irrepressible  eagerness  and  excitement, 
and  running  to  the  window  to  gaze  over  her  brother's 
shoulder.  Only  here  and  there  in  little  patches  can 
the  eastward  fields  be  seen,  for  the  rain  has  beaten 
but  few  of  the  fading  leaves  to  earth,  and  the  autumn 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  219 

foliage  still  hangs  thick  and  clustering.  But  south- 
eastward a  broader  vista  can  be  obtained,  and  yonder, 
nearly  eight  miles  off,  lies  Poolesville,  and  the  inter- 
vening roads  and  farms  and  fields  are  spread  out  like 
a  map.  From  the  lawn  below  the  voices  of  the  men 
come  drifting  up,  eager  and  excited.  Some  of  the 
more  agile  have  clambered  into  the  trees,  and  all  of 
a  sudden  from  one  of  their  number  comes  the  shout : 

"I  see  'em,  boys,  not  a  mile  away.  Cracky!  a 
whole  regiment  of  'em,  and  artillery.  Oh,  if  we  only 
had  a  couple  of  guns  uj)  here,  we  could  sweep  the 
whole  line!" 

Mrs.  Heatherwood  bows  her  head  in  her  hands, 
something  like  a  groan  forcing  itself  through  her 
quivering  lips.  Ralph,  gritting  his  teeth,  springs  to 
his  feet  and  strives  to  find  some  point  from  which  he, 
too,  can  penetrate  the  thick  veil  and  see  the  fields 
beyond,  and,  even  as  they  are  clustering  at  the  win- 
dows, there  comes  the  sound  of  crunching  gravel 
under  horse's  feet,  the  well-known  sputter  and  crash, 
as,  up  through  the  bowered  gate-way,  on  reeking 
steeds  splashed  with  mud  and  mire,  three  horsemen 
come  spurring  along  the  worn  old  drive  and  out  upon 
the  once  stately  lawn  of  Heatherwood.  The  fore- 
most, in  glazed  cap  and  poncho,  a  powerful,  bearded 
man,  is  evidently  an  officer  of  high  rank.  The  be- 
draggled housing  of  his  horse  still  shows  the  edging 
of  gold  and  the  gleam  of  silver  star. 

"What  do  you  see?  Where  do  you  see?"  he  de- 
mands, impetuously,  of  the  soldier  in  the  tree,  and 
whips  out  his  ovra  field-glass. 


220  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

"Rebel  cavalry,  sir,  and  guns,  right  out  here  across 
the  fields.  You  could  rake  'em  if  you  had  a  gun 
here." 

"Here,  general,  here!"  cries  another  blue-coat, 
peering  through  the  eastward  hedge;  "here  you  can 
see."  And  the  stalwart  officer  spurs  to  the  gap  and 
takes  one  quick  glance. 

"By  the  Lord,  he's  right !  Back  with  you,  captain ! 
Ride  like  mad.  Tell  Pennington  to  get  a  gun  up 
here  if  he  has  to  double  up  half  a  dozen  teams.  Tell 
him  there  isn't  an  instant  to  lose." 

"God  of  Battles!  It's  Pleasonton!"  cries  Fairfax, 
springing  to  his  feet.  Then,  his  face  blanching  at 
the  thought,  "If  guns  are  planted  here  they'll  make 
this  house  the  target  for  every  piece  in  Stuart's 
column.  For  heaven's  sake,  lieutenant,  tell  your 
general  there  are  defenceless  women  here.  Tell  him 
whose  house  this  is."  Then,  as  the  officer  seems  to 
hesitate,  mindful  of  his  orders  to  hold  his  prisoner, 
the  Virginian  draws  himself  up  and  speaks  proudly 
and  deliberately.  "Surely  you  have  my  word,  sir. 
I  shall  take  no  advantage  of  your  absence." 

It  is  humanity  that  is  pleading.  It  is  for  the  sake 
of  helpless  women  for  whom  there  can  be  no  shelter 
from  the  crash  of  shell,  the  deadly  spatter  of  case- 
shot,  if  once  the  rebel  gunners  open  on  that  height. 
Down  goes  the  Union  officer,  three  stairs  at  a  jump, 
and  reaches  the  broad  portico,  where  at  the  moment 
an  orderly  is  with  difficulty  holding  an  eager,  spirited 
horse,  the  young  lieutenant's,  and  this  fresh  and 


t 


Sd 


I 

I 
I 


TUE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  221 

beautiful  mount  lias  caught  the  general's  eye  in  an 
instant.  '"Whose  horse f  he  is  repeating,  as  booted 
and  spurred  the  young  officer  comes  bounding  from 
the  hall. 

"Lieutenant  Wardner's,  sir.    Here  he  comes  now." 

"What  is  your  regiment,  and  where  is  it,  and  who 
commands?" 

" — th  Pennsylvania,  general.  Somewhere  up 
around  Frederick,  I  suppose.  Colonel  Belden,"  is 
the  concise  answer. 

"I  know,"  cries  the  cavalry  commander,  his  eyes 
aflame.  "We  passed  their  bivouac  in  the  dim  light, 
though  they  were  too  far  from  the  road  to  be  seen. 
Your  horse  is  fresh,  sir.  Ours  have  come  over  eighty 
miles  since  yesterday  morning.  Mount,  gallop  every 
inch  of  the  way  till  you  meet  Pennington's  second 
section.  Tell  them  to  flog  their  horses  every  inch  of 
the  road  till  they  reach  us.  Then  go  on  till  you  find 
your  colonel.  Tell  him  everything  depends  on  his 
supporting  me  at  once,  and  to  come  at  the  gallop. 
Here's  Stuart's  whole  force  not  two  miles  away,  and 
I  haven't  two  hundred  men  to  meet  him!" 

"I  have  a  prisoner,  sir, — Captain  Fairfax, — and 
there  are  ladies  here, — three, — who'll  be  in  peril  if 
artillery " 

"Never  mind  that.  You'll  have  a  thousand  pris- 
oners if  you  get  Belden  here  in  time.  l\o,  sir.  PU 
take  all  responsibility,"  answers  the  chief,  impa- 
tient of  expostulation  or  remark.  "Mount  instantly 
and  ride.    Yours  is  the  only  horse  that's  fit  to  gallop 


222  TEE  GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

five  miles.  Go,  sir,  at  once."  And  the  general's 
mandate  ends  all  further  delay.  Springing  into 
saddle,  the  young  officer  rides  straight  for  the  leafy 
gate-way,  then  takes  the  gallop  as  he  strikes  the 
winding  road.  Aloft  in  the  east  room  Ralph  and 
Fairfax  still  remain  at  the  windows,  enthralled  and 
eager.  Tighlman  covers  his  eyes  and  groans  with  im- 
patience and  anxiety  combined.  Somewhere  down 
along  the  towpath  a  cavalry  trumpet  is  sounding  a 
thrilling  call,  at  sound  of  which  there  is  quickening 
of  the  pace  of  some  unseen  column,  and,  followed  by 
his  single  orderly,  the  general  rides  round  to  the 
southwest,  through  the  old  orchard,  and  out  beyond 
its  westernmost  tree,  where  he  can  see  the  Monocacy 
and  the  roads  beyond,  and  there,  crawling  south- 
ward, more  than  a  mile  away,  comes  a  jaded  little 
command  with  somewhere  in  its  depths  a  section  of 
light  guns,  lugged  all  this  distance,  and  towards 
them,  as  though  riding  for  life,  a  solitary  courier  is 
speeding.  But  Pleasonton  knows  the  leaders  of  his 
column  are  closer  at  hand.  That  trumpet  call  is 
from  the  head  of  a  squadron  of  the  Eighth  Illinois, 
escorting  the  foremost  section  of  Pennington's  guns, 
and  the  general  spurs  for  a  gap  in  the  fence  and  finds 
his  way  down  a  cow-track  towards  the  canal,  catching 
the  little  column  as  it  rounds  the  front  of  the  heights 
under  which  stood  Homans's  camp  only  a  few  days 
gone  by.  The  guns  have  disappeared,  led  by  his  aide 
back  to  the  north  so  as  to  climb  the  winding  but  more 
gradual  ascent  from  that  side.    "Send  one  troop  for- 


THE  GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  223 

ward  on  the  Barnesville  road!"  he  orders.  "Take 
tlie  route  to  Poolesville  with  the  rest.  Stuart's  out 
there  on  the  plateau  somewhere.  Seems  to  be  head- 
ing straight  for  Poolesville." 

"And  now,  indeed,  does  it  begin  to  look  desperate 
for  Stuart.  South  of  him,  at  Poolesville,  Stoneman 
has  deployed  his  men,  infantry  and  guns,  to  bar  the 
way.  Southwestward,  towards  Conrad's  Ferry,  are 
three  regiments  of  infantry  under  General  Ward. 
Westward,  with  several  hundred  soldiers  of  the 
Third  and  Fourth  Maine  to  back  him,  Pleasonton  is 
deploying  his  advance.  Eastward  the  daring  South- 
erners cannot  turn,  for  there  lie  the  deep  river, 
Washington,  and  enemies  by  the  thousands.  Just 
one  chance  remains  of  squirming  through  without 
severe  fight  and  having  perhaps  to  lose  his  captured 
civil  list  and  Pennsylvania  horses.  Three  miles  below 
the  Monocacy  and  as  many  above  Conrad's  is  White's 
Ford.  Beyond  that  the  bold  heights  of  Loudoun 
County  and  perfect  safety.  Ward's  men  are  still 
below  it,  Pleasonton's  still  above;  but,  should  the 
head  of  Stuart's  column  turn  that  way,  his  purpose 
would  be  apparent  in  an  instant.  Stuart  knows  a 
trick  worth  two  of  that. 

Brushing  out  of  Barnesville  the  few  vedettes  and 
outlying  pickets  that  dare  to  hang  on  his  advance, 
his  foremost  squadrons  push  boldly  out  towards 
Poolesville,  Stoneman's  scattered  cavalry  slipping 
aw^ay  from  their  front  with  warrantable  agility,  and 
now  at  last  they  have  reached  a  belt  of  the  beautiful 


224  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

farming  country,  rolling  and  fertile,  wooded  here 
and  there  and  traversed  by  winding  roads  and  lanes, 
that  lies  in  full  view  of  the  thrilled  occupants  of 
Heatherwood's  eastward  rooms  and  windows. 

"Yonder  they  go!"  cries  Fairfax,  fairly  ablaze 
with  eagerness  to  join  his  comrades  of  the  Virginia 
Horse.  "See!  See!  Watch  those  fellows  scooting 
away  down  that  lane.  Our  men  must  be  close  behind 
them.  Great  God!  they  cannot  see  those  heavy 
lines  of  infantry  over  beyond,  and  there's  no  way — 
no  way — to  warn  them." 

Belle  and  Laura,  trembling  with  excitement  and 
clinging  to  each  other,  are  both  now  leaning  over 
the  captive  captain  and  striving  with  their  unaided 
eyes  to  make  out  the  objects  he  can  only  distinguish 
with  the  glass.  Ralph,  at  the  adjoining  window,  has 
less  sweep  of  the  land  before  them,  and  can  only  see 
the  Poolesville  lines.  He,  too,  springs  over  to  the 
now  crowded  casement,  and  soldiers,  glancing  up 
from  the  lavm,  look  at  each  other  in  no  little  won- 
derment. That  gray  uniform  within  their  lines 
seems  out  of  place  somehow.  But  suddenly  an  ex- 
clamation from  below  calls  every  blue-coat  to  the 
hedge,  and  a  shout  goes  up  from  Fairfax: 

"A  charge!  A  charge!  By  all  that's  glorious! 
Look!  Look!  See  them  sweep  that  field!  Good 
God!  I  cannot  stand  it — I  cannot!"  And  springing 
away  in  uncontrollable  excitement,  he  turns,  throws 
his  arms  against  the  casement,  and  hides  his  face  in 
them,  quivering  from  head  to  foot.     Only  for  an  in^ 


THE  GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  225 

stant  thus  he  stands,  Belle's  soft  eyes  filled  with  that 
dangerous  pity  that  is  so  akin  to  love,  for  the  next 
thing  there  is  a  chorus  of  half-startled  "Ah!'s"  from 
the  blue-jackets,  a  jet  of  white  smoke  shoots  across 
the  distant  fields,  and  a  few  seconds  later  the  window 
shakes  and  a  sharp  bang — the  angry  bark  of  field- 
piece — rends  the  air,  and  Fairfax  springs  with  up- 
lifted, clinching  fists.  "Pelham!"  he  cries,  exultant. 
Ralph,  too,  struggles  to  his  feet,  forgetful  of  his 
wounds,  and  yet  turns,  thoughtful  for  his  mother, 
and  finds  her  slowly  sinking  to  her  knees  by  Tighl- 
man's  bed,  just  as  a  second  shot,  sharper  and  clearer 
than  the  first,  rings  on  the  autumn  air.  It  is  church 
time,  and  morning  service  has  begun  in  earnest. 

Then,  listen!  From  the  north  side  now  there 
comes  the  sound  of  violent  motion,  the  thunder  of 
hoofs,  the  rumble  of  wheels,  the  crash  and  sputter 
of  gravel,  the  fierce  cracking  of  whips  and  loud 
shouts  of  exultation  and  encouragement.  "The 
guns!  the  guns!"  cries  Fairfax;  "actually  here.  By 
heaven!  It  must  not  be."  And,  bare-headed,  with 
his  gray  uniform  hanging  loosely  about  his  enfeebled 
frame,  the  Virginian  captain  totters  towards  the  door 
just  as,  drawn  by  panting,  sweating,  straining 
horses,  six  to  the  carriage,  lashed  and  spurred  to  mad 
effort,  there  comes  rushing  through  the  bowered  gate 
the  foremost  of  Pennington's  light  guns,  and,  spurn- 
ing flower  beds  and  flowering  plants,  around  it  swings 
on  the  grassy  lawn;  scattering  mud  and  shattered 
plaster  of  Paris,  it  is  whirled  into  battery,  unlim- 

16 


226  THE  GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

bered  like  a  flash,  and  run  by  hand  to  the  hedge. 
Furiously  three  or  four  cannoneers  hack  away  at  the 
bushes  with  their  short  curved  swords.  A  gap  is 
torn  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye.  The  drivers  spring 
from  saddle  and  busy  themselves  about  the  harness 
of  their  teams,  one  and  all  looking  just  as  though 
they  had  swam  through  miles  of  liquid  mud.  A 
dashing  sergeant  leaps  from  his  horse,  followed  by 
several  of  his  mounted  gun  detachment,  tossing  their 
reins  to  the  horse  holders,  who  quickly  swing  their 
half-dozen  reeking  chargers  over  to  the  side  of  the 
house,  tearing  huge  rents  in  the  once  well-trimmed 
flower-beds.  A  tall,  lanky  cannoneer  has  gripped  a 
sponge-staff  and  sent  it  whirling  through  the  gap.  A 
cartridge  is  rammed  home,  while  a  corporal  casts  his 
eye  over  the  field  a  mile  away  and  chisels  a  section 
of  his  paper  fuse.  A  shell  is  sent  home,  and,  with 
the  rammer  high  above  his  head,  the  foremost  can- 
noneer springs  back  from  the  muzzle.  There  is  an 
instant  grouping  about  the  breech  of  the  gun, — a 
group  of  grimy  men  in  dirty  blue. 

"They're  going  to  fire!"  screams  Laura,  stopping 
her  ears  with  her  fingers  and  rushing  to  bury  her 
head  in  the  pillows.  There  is  a  moment's  squinting 
through  the  slit  of  the  brass  pendulum  hausse,  then, 
lifting  the  instrument  from  its  socket,  the  gunner 
springs  back,  both  arms  uplifted  in  signal  "all  clear," 
and  orders  "Ready!"  A  stocky  little  fellow  jumps 
in  to  the  breech  and  drives  the  priming  wire  home  in 
the  vent.    Another  drops  the  friction  primer  in,  and 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  227 

is  back  in  a  second  at  the  end  of  his  taut  lanyard. 
"Fire!"  rings  the  hoarse  order,  and  with  a  resonant 
bang  that  shakes  the  house  and  shivers  a  parlor  win- 
dow on  the  floor  beneath,  echoed  bj  shrieks,  half 
stifled,  from  the  girls,  the  saucy  rifle  bellows  its  chal- 
lenge to  Pelham's  guns  nearly  a  mile  out  over  the 
fields,  and  then,  as  they  spring  in  to  reload,  the  can- 
noneers look  up  in  amaze,  for  a  tall,  hatless  officer, 
in  Confederate  gray,  leaps  among  them,  with  up- 
lifted, imploring  hands. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

Foe  a  moment  the  members  of  the  little  detach- 
ment seemed  stunned  or  stupefied.  The  sight  of  the 
Confederate  uniform  in  their  midst,  of  a  soldier  of 
evident  rank  and  distinction,  pallid  from  recent 
wounds  and  confinement,  was  in  itself  a  thing  to 
cause  amaze,  but  that  he  should  presume  to  inter- 
fere,— to  speak  to  them  in  tones  that,  despite  the 
appeal  of  his  words,  yet  rang  with  the  resonance  of 
accustomed  command, — was  still  another.  The 
swarthy  gunner  at  the  trail  was  the  first  to  recover 
himself,  and  his  eyes  flashed  angrily. 

"Who  in  hell "  began  he,  in  the  battle  fury 

that  had  seized  him,  but  the  sergeant  interposed. 

"This  is  my  business,  corporal.  Out  of  the  way, 
sir,"  he  ordered,  sternly,  as  he  turned  to  Fairfax. 
"You're  a  prisoner,  or  you  couldn't  be  here.  Take 
charge  of  that  man,  some  of  you,"  he  cried,  to  the 
open-mouthed  troopers  who  were  grouping  about 
them.  "Load,  lively  there !  Shave  her  half  a  second. 
Con.  She  bust  ten  yards  beyond  'em."  Then,  as  he 
straightened  up  in  his  mud-besplashed  stirrups,  his 
eyes  dilating  with  fire,  he  swung  his  sabre  towards 
the  gap  in  the  shrubbery  and  fairly  yelled  with  joy. 
"Yonder  comes  a  gun  now.    Look,  Con !     They'll  be 

in  your  line  of  fire  in  half  a  shake.    See?" 
228 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  229 

And  leaping  on  the  trail,  the  gunner  peered 
tlirough  the  gap.  Three  or  four  cavalrymen  had, 
half  reluctantly,  laid  hands  on  the  Virginia  captain 
and,  despite  his  earnest  words  of  explanation,  insisted 
on  his  falling  back  from  the  gun.  Corporal  Con 
threw  up  his  hat  with  a  yell  of  delight.  "It's  Pel- 
ham's,"  he  cried.  "They're  heading  for  the  knoll 
beyond.  It's  there  they'll  unlimber.  Shall  we  give 
'em  one  now,  sergeant?" 

"Aye,  sock  it  to  'em,  quick.  Con!"  was  the  answer, 
as  the  chief  of  piece  reined  his  snorting  horse  back 
from  the  gun,  and  the  cannoneers  sprang  out  from 
the  wheels.  A  groan  burst  from  the  lips  of  Fairfax, 
a  wail  of  anguish  from  the  window  above,  and  some 
men,  glancing  an  instant  over  their  shoulders,  beheld 
Miss  Heatherwood  leaning  from  the  open  casement, 
wringing  her  hands,  a  wild-eyed,  black-haired  girl 
clinging  to  her  side.  Then  all  eyes  were  riveted  on 
the  spirited  scene  out  on  the  rolling  slopes  half  a 
mile  away.  A  light  gun-carriage,  followed  by  its 
prancing  detachment,  drawn  by  six  spirited  horses, 
whose  gray-jacketed  drivers  sat  jauntily  in  saddle, 
came  lunging  through  a  little  lane,  turned  square  at 
a  gap  in  the  snake  fence  that  bounded  the  slopes  of 
an  open  field,  and,  following  a  dashing  leader,  went 
plunging  and  swaying  up  the  ascent.  Pennington's 
war-worn  gunners  knew  them  at  a  glance.  Some- 
thing in  the  dash  and  abandon  with  which  they 
swimg  through  the  gap  stamped  them  at  once.  "Pel- 
ham's  Own!"  was  the  cry.    "Let  'em  have  it.  Con." 


230        THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

The  corporal,  quivering  with  excitement,  was  astride 
of  the  trail,  tapping  gently  its  mud-stained  side, 
while  two  stout  cannoneers,  panting  and  eager-eyed, 
gripped  a  handspike  and  swung  the  black  muzzle 
into  line.  Squinting  through  the  peep  hole  in  the 
brass  hausse.  Con  was  spinning  the  elevating  screw 
with  one  hand  as  he  tapped  the  trail  with  the  other, 
getting  range  and  line  at  once,  sighting  square  at  the 
crest  of  the  knoll.  An  instant  more  and  the  leaders 
of  the  distant  gun  came  trotting  up  against  the  sky, 
then  the  "swing"  team,  then  the  wheel-horses,  then 
one  could  almost  hear  the  command,  "Action  rear!" 
as  the  team  fairly  settled  back  on  their  haunches  and 
the  following  horsemen  threw  themselves  out  of  sad- 
dle and  scampered  to  the  gun. 

"Now,  Con!"  cried  the  sergeant,  and  a  stifled 
shriek  went  up  from  the  window,  and  Fairfax  wiped 
the  sweat  of  agony  from  his  brow  and  called  aloud, — 

"Away  from  that  window.  Belle !  Kun  to  the  cel- 
lar, quick!  Away,  I  say!"  he  repeated,  as  the  girls 
hung  there,  fascinated. 

"For  God's  sake  let  me  go  to  them,"  he  cried.  "I 
am  pledged  not  to  escape." 

But  the  stern  soldiers  seemed  deaf  to  his  plea; 
seemed  only  alive  to  the  scene  at  the  gun.  Again  the 
corporal  sprang  back,  both  hands  thrown  high,  again 
the  order,  "Ready!"  again  the  lithe  young  battery- 
man  leaped  in,  lanyard  in  hand,  then  the  taut  cord 
slipped  through  his  fingers  as  he  stretched  away  for 
the  next  word,  "Fire!"  and  a  jet  of  flame  and  smoke 


THE  GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  '231 

burst  through  the  gap,  the  light  gun  leaped  back  a 
foot  or  two,  the  shot  went  shrieking  away  southeast- 
ward in  long  curve.  A  second  or  two  of  suspense, 
and  then  against  the  dull  hues  of  the  clouded  horizon 
a  puff  of  snowy  smoke  burst  in  front  of  the  black  ob- 
jects on  the  distant  field,  and  in  an  instant  they  were 
hidden  from  sight.  Only  for  an  instant,  though; 
the  little  cloud  went  drifting  away,  a  cheer  rang  out 
on  the  Heatherwood  lawn,  for  two  horses  were  seen 
to  be  kicking  and  struggling  on  the  turf  beyond  the 
opposing  gun.  Then  as  Pennington's  men  sprang 
in  to  reload,  the  cry  went  up,  "Lay  low!  Look  out, 
fellows!  They're  aiming."  And  here  and  there  a 
blue-jacket,  crouching,  went  scattering  to  right  or 
left,  and  others  flattened  out  on  the  sodden  ground. 
Again  Fairfax  cried  aloud, — 

"Leave  that  window.  Belle,  instantly!  Down  to 
the  cellar,  all  of  you!"  But  he  might  as  well  have 
ordered  the  dead.  With  dilated  eyes  the  two  girls 
hung  there,  gazing  at  the  distant  guns.  Then 
Laura's  voice,  shrill  and  exultant,  pierced  the  drip- 
ping air: 

"Yonder's  another  gun.  O  Glory!  See  it 
a-jumpin',  coming  right  up  by  the  first!"  And  she 
clapped  her  plump  hands  in  mad  delight.  "Now, 
Mr.  Yankee,  look  out  for  your  hide,"  she  cried. 
"Aw,  why  don't  they  fire?  What  are  they  waiting 
for?"  She  danced  impatient,  utterly  blind  to  the 
peril  in  which  she  stood  if  Pelham  opened.  Again 
wondering  at  the  unusual  delay  in  the  Virginian's 


232        THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

answering  bark,  tlie  cannoneers  were  driving  home 
their  charge,  when,  far  over  the  fields,  furiously 
waving  his  hat,  a  horseman  was  seen,  riding  straight 
for  Pelham's  foremost  giin,  whose  detachment  in 
wonderment  had  ceased  their  skilled  loading,  and 
with  unwilling  ears  were  listening  to  words  and 
orders  inaudible  to  all  at  Heatherwood. 

"Let  'em  have  it,  Con!"  again  cried  the  sergeant. 
"We'll  drive  'em  off  that  ridge  with  another  shot." 
And  again  was  the  gunner  bending  over  the  breech 
and  the  cannoneers  ramming  home,  when  loud, 
stern,  authoritative,  a  soldierly  voice  rang  out  over 
the  lawn,  and,  striding  forth  from  the  open  door-way 
of  Heatherwood,  a  tall,  splendidly  built  officer  in 
the  uniform  of  a  captain  of  cavalry,  a  man  with 
flashing  blue  eyes  and  clear-cut  face  and  blond  mous- 
tache and  imperial,  came  straight  to  the  edge  of  the 
portico,  and  there  halted  and  towered  above  them 
all. 

"Drop  that  lanyard,  men !  You  wouldn't  fire  from 
behind  a  petticoat.  Can't  you  see  those  fellows  will 
not  answer  because  they  know  this  house  is  full  of 
women?" 

At  sound  of  the  voice  the  sergeant  had  whirled  in 
saddle  and  up  went  his  hand  in  salute.  The  can- 
noneers turned  in  surprise.  The  lanyard  slackened. 
One  or  two  troopers  who  had  thrown  themselves 
under  the  hedge  to  dodge  the  expected  shower  of 
shrapnel  squirmed  out  and  gazed  at  the  soldierly 
figure;   but  it  was  left  to  Captain  Fairfax  to  exhibit 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  233 

strange  and  nnaceountable  emotion.  He  sprang  for- 
ward, despite  the  resistance  of  two  sinewy  hands, 
until  he  had  cleared  the  little  group  of  captors 
among  whom  he  stood,  then  halted  in  his  tracks. 
Three  men  threw  themselves  upon  him  and  seized 
him  in  vigorous  grasp,  but  he  never  seemed  to  notice. 
With  pallid  face  and  quivering  lips, — lips  that  were 
turning  almost  livid, — he  hung  there,  glaring  at  the 
form  at  the  edge  of  the  portico,  and  the  rough  grasp 
of  the  soldiers  slackened,  for  they  saw  the  beads  of 
sweat  still  starting  from  his  brow  and  that  he  was 
trembling  from  head  to  foot.  Aloft  at  the  northeast 
window,  as  though  striving  to  see  the  cause  of  this 
sudden  silence  on  the  lawn,  Miss  Ileatherwood  and 
her  impatient  cousin  were  leaning  for^vard  and 
gazing  with  all  their  eyes.  But  the  strange  officer 
stood  where  the  projecting  roof  of  the  old-fashioned 
portico  hid  him  from  their  sight.  He  had  unslung 
a  field-glass,  and,  applying  it  to  his  eyes,  had  con- 
cealed the  upper  portion  of  his  fine  face.  He  leaned 
against  a  heavy  column,  breathing  hard  as  though 
he  had  ridden  fast.  His  boots  and  breeches  were 
daubed  with  mud,  but  the  trim-fitting  frock  coat 
was  innocent  of  a  single  splash.  The  polished  scab- 
bard shone  like  newly  minted  silver.  The  sash, 
though  carelessly  knotted,  was  of  costly  crimson  silk. 
Half  of  him  looked  as  though  he  had  ridden  through 
miles  of  mud,  the  other  half  as  though  he  were 
marching  on  parade. 

"Limber  to  the  rear,  then,"  ordered  the  sergeant, 


234  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

tliongli  his  eyes  snapped  angrily.  "We  could  have 
knocked  that  gun  off  the  ridge  next  shot,  sir,"  he 
cried,  regretfully,  "and  my  orders  was  to  do  it,  but 
the  officer  that  gave  'em  isn't  here.  Where'll  we  go, 
sir?    There's  no  such  spot  as  this  within  a  mile." 

"Down  the  road  to  join  your  battery,"  was  the 
brief  answer.  "They've  gone  already,  heading  for 
Poolesville,"  he  added.  "Tell  your  captain  you 
drove  'em  off  with  one  shot." 

The  horses  were  crunching  round  with  dangling 
traces  on  the  arc  of  a  small  circle  as  he  spoke.  The 
limber  whirled  about  in  front  of  the  piece,  its  right 
wheel  bumping,  battery-fashion,  over  the  iron  trail- 
plate.  The  handspikes  and  sponge-staff  were  stowed 
away.  "Halt!  Limber  up!"  was  the  gunner's  order, 
given  in  disgusted  tone,  and  bitter  disappointment 
brooded  in  the  gaunt,  war-worn  faces  as  they  glanced 
resentfully  up  at  the  windows.  What  business  had 
women  there  anyhow,  spoiling  as  square  a  fight  as 
ever  they  had  hoped  for? 

"I  had  the  range  of  them  fellers,"  swore  Corporal 
Con,  as  he  climbed  to  saddle,  "and  could  have  blown 
me  shell  square  into  the  thick  o'  them." 

"Dry  up,  Con!"  was  the  sergeant's  order.  "Sure 
you  wouldn't  hit  a  man  that  couldn't  hit  back? 
Come  on  at  the  trot  now."  And  down  the  winding 
road  he  led,  his  gun  and  gunners  clattering  after, 
just  as  afar  out  over  the  fields  there  came  from  the 
southeast  a  throb  and  sputter  of  distant  musketry, 
and  down  on  the  invisible  towpath  southwest  of  the 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  235 

orchard  a  cavalry  trumpet  sounded,  "Trot!"  and 
then,  "Bang!  Bang!"  in  quick  succession  two 
booming  reports  told  that  Stuart's  guns  had  opened 
on  the  Union  lines,  and  that  the  renowned  cavalier 
was  making  good  his  word  and  fighting  his  way 
through. 

Up  at  the  window,  still,  Belle  and  Laura  hung, 
athrill  now  with  excitement  and  enthusiasm.  What 
mattered  it  that  Captain  Fairfax  had  failed  in  his 
mission; — that  another,  and  one  in  evident  authority, 
had  ordered  off  their  unbidden  visitors?  What  mat- 
tered it  that  Fairfax  was  there  a  prisoner,  and  Ralph 
and  Tighlman  invalided  and  paroled?  They  could 
see  nothing  of  Fairfax  now.  His  captors,  eager  to 
reach  a  spot  whence  they  could  peer  through  the 
hedge  at  the  distant  fighting  lines,  had  turned  him 
over  to  two  of  their  number  to  be  taken  back  to 
where  the  horses  were  picketed  about  the  barn.  The 
cavalry  officer,  too,  had  suddenly  disappeared  within 
the  house  and  was  seen  no  more.  Ralph,  gazing 
through  his  glasses,  still  studied  the  movements  out 
on  the  distant  fields,  his  features  working  strangely. 
It  was  after  nine  o'clock.  J^ot  a  mouthful  of  break- 
fast had  they  touched,  for  who  could  tell  what  phase 
of  battle  the  next  minute  might  bring  forth?  Over 
by  Tighlman's  couch  knelt  the  gentle  mistress  of  the 
mansion,  her  lips  still  moving  in  fervent  prayer. 
The  powerful  fascination  that  had  drawn  to  the  win- 
dows most  of  the  occupants  of  Heatherwood,  except 
the  now  terrified  servants,  had  attracted  most  of  the 


236  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

soldiery  to  tlie  eastward  gaps  in  the  hedge,  or  to 
points  in  the  westward  orchard  whence  they  could 
catch  occasional  glimpses  of  Stuart's  men.  Within 
the  kitchen  two  of  the  Maine  infantry  kept  reluctant 
guard.  Chloe  and  her  trembling  liege  were  hiding 
in  the  cellar.  Officers  of  every  kind  had  disap- 
peared. Fairfax,  under  guard,  found  himself  practi- 
cally alone.  A  shy  country  boy,  whose  corporal's 
chevrons  were  new  as  his  face  was  smooth,  seemed 
to  know  not  what  to  do  with  his  charge,  and  readily 
assented  to  the  captive  captain's  proposition  that  they 
should  go  to  the  upper  windows  of  Heatherwood, 
whence  they  could  see  the  progress  of  the  fight,  and 
Fairfax  was  weak  and  dazed,  and  the  corporal's 
heart  was  moved  to  pity. 

"You  look  sick,"  said  he.  "When  did — when  did 
you  get  captured?" 

"Only  last  night,"  was  the  reply.  "This  house  is 
the  home  of  relatives  of  mine  whom  I  wished  to  see. 
I  have  given  my  parole.  You  need  fear  no  attempt 
to  escape,  but  if  you  are  ordered  to  stand  by  me, 
come  up  there.  Did  you  see — did  you  know  that 
cavalry  officer?" 

"Saw  him,  yes,"  said  the  soldier,  awkwardly,  lug- 
ging his  rifle  in  one  hand,  as  with  the  other  he  aided 
the  weakened  Virginian  up  the  stairs,  "but  never  saw 
him  before.  Those  battery  fellows  knew  him.  I 
heard  them  calling  him  by  name  as  they  rode  away." 

"You  did?"  demanded  Fairfax,  leaning  on  the 
balustrade  and  breathing  hard  as  he  clung  to  it  for 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  237 

support.  '"You  did?  And  what  name  did  they  give 
him?" 

"Captain  Belden,  they  said ;  — th  Regulars — cav- 
alry," was  the  innocent  reply,  whereat  Fairfax  stared 
the  harder,  "gripped  even  tighter  the  balcony  rail, 
and  the  corporal,  fearful  that  his  prisoner  was  col- 
lapsing on  his  hands,  called  loudly  to  a  trooper  in 
the  hall-way  to  come  and  help  him, — a  trooper  who 
w^as  issuing  from  the  door  of  a  little  room  on  the 
north  side,  and  he  glanced  hurriedly  upward. 

"I'll  send  help,"  he  muttered,  in  a  strange,  smoth- 
ered tone,  and  hastened  into  the  kitchen,  but  from 
the  floor  above  came  Mrs.  Heatherwood  and  her 
daughter.  Hurrying  and  with  anxious  questioning 
and  troubled  looks,  they  bore  do\^Ti  upon  the  oddly 
assorted  pair.  The  soldier  fell  back  at  sight  of  them, 
glad  of  such  relief. 

"What  is  it,  my  boy?  What  has  happened?"  was 
Mrs.  Heatherwood's  anxious  question,  as  her  arm 
was  thrown  about  the  shrinking  form.  "Help  him, 
please,"  she  added,  turning  to  the  young  corporal, 
and,  laying  down  his  rifle,  the  latter  almost  lifted 
Fairfax  to  a  sofa  on  the  floor  above.  "Bring  some 
wine,  quickly.  Belle,"  ordered  Mrs.  Heatherwood,  as 
she  knelt  by  the  sufferer's  side.  "What  is  it,  Floyd?" 
she  murmured.     "You've  overtaxed  your  strength." 

"I  did  not  dream  how  weak  I  was,"  he  whispered, 
"or  that  I  could  behave  like  a  woman,  but,"  and  now 
his  eyes  flitted  eagerly  about  until  he  was  assured 
that  Belle  had  gone,  "I  saw  Jack  Lowndes  lying 


238  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

dead  by  the  roadside  at  First  Bull  Run,  and  could 
liave  sworn  it  was  he " 

"Hush,  Floyd!  Listen!"  appealed  Mrs.  Heather- 
wood,  laying  her  fingers  on  his  lips,  for  Laura  was 
screaming  excitedly  at  the  window,  'and  Ralph's 
voice  was  adding  to  the  clamor.  Far  out  afield  the 
firing  was  growing  quick  and  fast,  but  what  Ralph 
saw  was  something  that  thrilled  him  to  the  marrow. 

"Fairfax!  Fairfax!"  he  cried;  "come  here,  for 
God's  sake,  and  tell  me  what  it  means.  There's  a 
squadron  of  Yankee  cavalry  right  in  the  midst  of 
Stuart's  reserve,  and  it's  coming  this  way." 

With  a  brimming  glass  of  Madeira  in  her  hand, 
Belle  was  hastening  down  the  hall.  Fairfax  strug- 
gled to  his  feet,  drained  the  glass,  and  staggered  to 
the  eastward  window.  Ralph  handed  him  the  bi- 
nocular, pointing  excitedly  through  the  gap  that 
commanded  the  fields.  Across  one  of  the  nearmost 
the  gun  detachment  so  recently  at  the  hedge  was 
now  laboring  with  their  heavy  charge;  across 
another,  coming  straight  towards  them,  five  hundred 
yards  farther  away,  a  compact  little  squadron  in  the 
Union  blue  was  spurring  at  rapid  trot,  their  sabres 
glinting  at  the  "carry,"  a  slender  young  officer  well 
in  the  lead;  and  at  this  distant  array  Floyd  Fairfax 
took  one  rapid  glance  through  the  glass  and  dropped 
it  with  a  cry: 

'^Yankee  cavalry?  God  of  heaven,  no!  It's  Gar- 
nett  and  the  First  Virginia!" 

And  as  though  he  heard  the  cry,  and  were  ex- 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  239 

pecting  it,  a  tall  trooper,  splendidly  mounted,  dashed 
the  next  instant  around  the  corner  of  the  house, 
spurred  straight  for  the  gap  where  lately  stood  the 
gun,  swung  high  his  forage-cap  in  air,  as  with  mag- 
nificent bound  his  horse  carried  him  through  and 
over  and  careering  on  down  the  orchard  slopes  be- 
yond; and  then  over  the  fields  rang  a  shout,  power- 
ful, resonant,  that  sounded  strangely  familiar  to  the 
straining,  startled  ears  at  Heatherwood,  and  bore 
with  it  the  same  challenge  and  power  of  command 
as  that  which  checked  the  fire  of  the  gunners  not  ten 
minutes  before:  "Gallop,  men!  Gallop  with  that 
gun !  That's  rebel  cavalry  coming !  Gallop  and  fol- 
low me!" 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

Fob  five  minutes  that  followed  Heatlierwood  was 
the  vortex  of  a  storm  of  excitement  such  as  the  old 
mansion  had  never  knoA\m  in  the  past  and  was  des- 
tined onlj  once  to  know  again.  Swiftly  spurring 
over  the  eastward  fields,  bending  forward  in  their 
saddles  in  the  eager  pose  all  troopers  know  so  well, — 
the  crouch  of  the  tiger  before  the  spring, — the  little 
squadron  seemed  making  straight  for  Heatherwood, 
and  had  not  yet  come  in  view  of  the  lone  detachment 
of  horse  artillery  down  on  lower  ground,  the  single 
gun  with  its  accompanying  squad  of  cannoneers  that 
had  followed  the  winding  drive  into  the  ravine  and 
was  now  jogging  and  jingling  through  the  lane  that 
led  to  the  Potomac. 

Obedient  to  authority  he  dare  not  question, — the 
orders  of  a  regular  ofiicer, — the  veteran  sergeant  was 
hastening  by  the  shortest  line  to  overtake  his  battery 
commander,  who  with  another  gun  was  at  this  mo- 
ment hacking  his  way  through  the  fence  of  a  sloping 
field  to  the  southeast  and  striving  to  reach  a  low  ridge 
beyond,  whereon  appeared  the  well-known  form  of 
General  Pleasonton,  with  two  of  his  staff  and  a  brace 
of  orderlies,  most  of  whom  were  eagerly  waving  their 
hats  and  urging  the  young  artillerist  to  full  speed. 
A  squadron  of  cavalry  spurred  wearily  behind  the 
240 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  241 

gun,  and  a  dozen  men,  dismounted,  were  lashing  at 
the  nearly  exhausted  horses  or  working  at  the  wheels. 
Another  squadron  was  pushing  out  on  the  Barnes^dlle 
road  to  the  east,  all  ignorant  of  this  swoop  of  hostile 
cavalry  across  the  higher  ground  to  the  left.  Ab- 
sorbed in  the  effort  to  fasten  on  the  right  flank  of 
Stuart's  force  out  in  the  open  ground  towards  Pooles- 
ville,  the  commander  of  the  pursuing  cavalry  seemed 
to  think  it  impossible  that  any  of  the  raiders  should 
have  ventured  to  dash  at  Heatherwood,  now  nearly 
a  mile  in  his  rear. 

Still  farther  out  to  the  southeast  a  lone  skirmish 
line,  stretching  from  east  to  west,  was  faintly  indi- 
cated by  dim  dots  of  horsemen  beyond  a  fringe  of 
woods.  Stuart's  advance,  then,  had  met  the  expected 
resistance,  and  a  squadron  or  two  had  been  deployed 
to  feel  the  way.  It  was  on  the  ridge  half  a  mile  out 
in  that  direction  that  Pelham's  guns  had  appeared 
long  enough  to  draw  the  fire  of  Pennington's  one 
rifle;  then,  forbidden  by  some  old  friend  to  fire  at 
Pleatherwood,  the  Virginians  had  popped  out  of 
sight  into  the  depression  beyond.  Doubtless  they 
and  their  supporting  cavalry  could  now  be  seen  from 
where  Pleasonton  boldly  rode  on  the  bluff-like  crest 
to  the  southward,  but  here  at  Heatherwood  only  by 
the  sound  of  distant  firing  could  anything  be  deter- 
mined of  Stuart's  movements.  All  around  about  the 
mansion  was  scurry  and  excitement.  A  knot  of 
country  folk  on  their  way  to  church,  frightened  by 

the  sound  of  battle  and  the  sight  of  hurrying  guns 

16 


242  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

and  cavalry,  had  climbed  the  steep  slope  at  the  south, 
the  pathway  Ilomans  and  Pettingill  had  known  so 
well,  and  were  gathered  with  the  few  lingering 
troopers  about  the  hedge.  The  young  officer  com- 
manding the  guard  had  disappeared,  sent,  like  Ward- 
ner,  on  some  errand  by  the  urgent  leader  of  the 
Union  horse,  whose  own  mounts  were  apparently  ex- 
hausted. iVt  sight  of  the  coming  squadron  the  ser- 
geant left  in  charge  had  looked  eagerly  about  for  aid, 
but  the  column  descending  the  Monocacy  was  far 
beyond  supporting  distance  and  on  a  muddy  road, 
and  the  infantry  at  the  aqueduct  and  along  the  canal 
could  not  begin  to  reach  the  height  as  quickly  as 
could  the  nimble  cavalry. 

"Gallop  to  that  Maine  colonel  down  there  at 
camp,"  he  ordered  a  trooper,  "  and  tell  him  that  rebel 
cavalry  is  in  sight  not  half  a  mile  away,  coming 
straight  at  us,  and  I've  only  a  dozen  men."  Then, 
although  he  ordered  his  people  to  mount  and  await 
orders  in  the  barn-yard,  their  eagerness  to  see  what 
was  going  on  prompted  first  one,  then  another,  and 
finally  the  entire  party,  to  come  sputtering  around 
to  the  front,  completing  the  ruin,  with  the  iron-shod 
hoofs,  of  the  once  trim  pathways  and  flower-beds  at 
the  side,  as  well  as  the  havOc  of  hoof  and  wheel  upon 
the  lawn,  and  here  beneath  the  eastward  windows, 
with  half  a  dozen  infantrymen  detailed  as  the  guard, 
the  troopers  clustered,  some  tossing  their  reins  to 
comrades  and  climbing  into  the  trees,  others  ner- 
vously unslinging  their  carbines  and  lining  the  east- 


THE  GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  243 

ward  hedge  and  gap,  all  impervious  to  Laura's  iine 
scorn  and  fierce  denunciation. 

At  the  windows,  thrilled  with  excitement  at  the 
scene  and  sounds,  the  little  household  gathered,  even 
Tighlman,  now  unrebuked,  having  limped  from  his 
bed  and  seated  himself  where  he  could  peer  over 
Heatherwood's  shoulder.  With  them  was  Madam 
Heatherwood,  her  sweet,  wan  face  pallid  with 
an:xiety  and  distress.  At  the  other  window  Fairfax 
knelt,  his  embarrassed  guardian,  rifle  in  hand,  close 
behind  him,  while  Belle  and  Laura,  clinging  to  each 
other,  gazed  from  the  casement,  the  former  trem- 
bling with  dread,  her  beautiful  eyes  brimming  with 
tears,  the  latter  quivering  with  excitement,  her  black 
orbs  fairly  snapping  with  defiance  and  delight.  And 
now,  until  it  disappeared  at  a  lumbering  gallop  down 
behind  the  shrubbery,  all  eyes  were  fixed  on  that 
imperilled  gun  and  its  shouting,  urging  guard  and 
drivers,  then  on  the  swift  advance  of  that  daring  lit- 
tle squadron,  now  not  fifty  yards  beyond  the  brow  of 
the  westward  slopes,  along  the  foot  of  which  that 
dashing  trooper  who  leaped  the  gap  a  moment  be- 
fore was  now  striving  to  guide  the  precious  gun  to 
safety.  Who  was  he?  Who  is  he?  asked  each  cap- 
tive ofiicer,  confident  that  form,  face,  and  voice  were 
all  familiar.  But  no  answer  came  from  Belle  or  the 
trembling  lips  of  her  mother. 

"Look!  look  at  Garnett!"  was  the  cry,  for  now, 
even  without  the  glasses,  the  waving  plumes  on  the 
young  leader's  jaunty  head  could  be  plainly  seen, 


2-14  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

and  he  at  least  was  in  the  gray,  though  throughout 
the  bounding  rank  almost  every  trooper  rode  in 
brand  new  blouse  or  jacket  of  the  Union  blue.  Ten 
seconds  more  and  they  must  reach  the  edge  of  the 
gentle  slope,  must  surely  see  the  gun.  Although  the 
range  now  is  too  great  for  accurate  shooting,  the 
soldiers  at  the  hedge  are  in  eager  conference.  Some 
are  cocking  their  rifles  and  carbines.  "Shall  we  lire, 
sergeant?"  cries  a  trooper. 

'Tor  God's  sake,  no!"  sings  out  a  nervous  recruit, 
who,  sitting  in  saddle,  holds  the  horses  of  half  a 
dozen  men.  "You'll  bring  the  whole  pack  on  us." 
A  grin  spreads  over  the  pallid  face  of  Fairfax. 

"That  fellow  has  sense,  at  least,"  he  mutters.  A 
jeer  bursts  from  Laura's  lips,  a  groan  from  Mrs. 
Heatherwood,  and  then,  an  instant  later,  wild  shouts 
of  warning  from  the  hedge,  a  cheer  of  exultation 
from  the  windows,  a  distant — a  glorious  burst  of 
melody  like  that  of  the  hounds  in  full  cry,  the  pro- 
longed "Ch-a-a-a-rge"  of  the  leader,  a  blast  of  the 
trumpet,  and  above  all  the  thrilling  chorus  of 
trooper  yells,  as,  never  checking  at  the  sight,  the 
squadron  commander  comes  in  view  of  the  quarry, 
and,  swinging  sabre  over  his  head,  in  magnificent 
circling  swoop  down  the  grassy  slope  like  darting 
falcon  he  heads  the  rush  of  his  Virginians,  and  then 
the  air  rings  with  shot  and  clash  of  steel,  and  fierce 
oaths  and  imprecations  and  exultant  cries.  There  is 
a  popping  chorus  of  pistols  that  accompanies  a  wild 
scurry  of  hoofs  away  and  around  the  lower  edge  of 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  245 

the  timber  to  the  south,  and  Fairfax  leaps  to  his  feet 
and  cries  aloud: 

''By  heaven!  they've  got  the  gun!  They're 
driving  'em  into  the  river!" 

Then  there  is  another  warning  yell,  from  the 
hedge  this  time,  as  several  of  the  troopers  come  tum- 
bling out,  and  running  for  their  horses.  A  sergeant 
is  shouting,  ''Mount!"  An  infantry  corporal,  red  in 
the  face  and  raging  with  fight,  begs  him  to  order  all 
of  his  men  to  occupy  the  timber  and  open  fire  on 
some  troopers  now  drifting  back  from  the  chase  after 
the  gun.  It  is  a  moment  of  mad  excitement,  and  no 
man  there  knows  just  what  should  be  done.  Then 
comes  another  shout,  this  time  from  the  orchard. 
That  settles  it.  "Lay  low,  fellers!  Look  out!  The 
whole  caboodle's  coming  back,  and  they'll  be  on  you 
in  a  second!"  To  the  very  edge  of  the  canal  have  the 
Virginians  pursued  the  helpless  gunners,  to  the  very 
teeth  of  the  infantry  guards  of  the  aqueduct,  for  now 
a  fierce  sputter  of  musketry  opens  at  the  foot  of  the 
westward  slope,  and  the  thunder  of  returning  hoofs 
is  heard,  mingled  with  loud  laugliter  and  derisive 
cheers  and  yells,  and  then,  before  the  hampered 
troopers  on  the  lawn  can  swing  into  saddle  and  form 
for  action,  a  shot  rings  at  the  back  of  the  house, 
another,  and  another,  and  up  through  the  old  or- 
chard come  the  nodding  plumes  and  panting,  strug- 
gling horses,  and  all  the  sergeant  can  find  words  to 
say  is,  "Come  on  out  of  this!"  and  away  he  goes 
through  the  bowered  gate-way  to  the  northeast,  his 


24G  THE   GENERALS  DOUBLE. 

fellows  clattering  after.  There's  no  place  there  to 
wheel  and  fight.  Thej  are  only  a  dozen  all  told, 
and  Stuart's  men  seem  popping  out  of  every  lane 
and  hedgerow  and  shaded  aisle.  There's  nothing 
else  to  do  but  dash  out  of  the  trap  and  gallop  to  the 
nearest  supports,  and  there,  not  half  a  mile  away, 
wearied,  but  gamely  struggling  on,  comes  Pleason- 
ton's  main  force  along  the  Monocacy.  The  sergeant 
is  wise  in  his  generation.  Thitherward  he  gallops 
with  his  pack,  a  dozen  sabres  swinging  at  their  heels, 
and  there  are  left  only  the  infantry  sentries  and  that 
lone  corporal  in  the  second  story  to  receive  with 
proper  honors  the  mud-bespattered,  but  triumphant 
band  of  merrymakers  who  rein  up  in  front  of  Heath- 
erwood,  and  the  young  cavalier  at  their  head 
bows  low  over  his  reeking  horse's  mane,  sweeps  his 
plumed  hat  groundward  in  salutation  to  the  ladies 
at  the  nearest  window,  and  bids  Miss  Heatherwood 
a  joyous  good-morning. 

Fancy  the  scene  as  Heatherwood  and  Tighlman 
shout  greeting  to  him  from  their  casement,  and 
Laura,  springing  down  the  stairs,  four  and  six  at  a 
bound,  fairly  hurls  herself  upon  the  mud-besmeared 
lieutenant  and  ecstatically  hugs  him,  all  maidenly 
shame  forgotten  in  the  delirious  joy  of  the  occasion. 
But  wary  eyes  have  seen  the  dart  of  the  infantry 
sentries  for  shelter.  Grim,  battle-worn  troopers  are 
watching  at  the  orchard  and  at  every  gap.  A  veteran 
sergeant,  binding  a  slashing  sabre  cut  upon  his 
bridle-hand  with  an  old  bandana,  warns  his  young 
chief  there  is  not  a  moment  to  spare. 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  247 

"How  are  you,  Ralph?  How  are  you,  Brad?" 
laughs  Garnett.  "All  ready,  you  fellows?  Got  a 
couple  of  tip-top  horses  here  for  you  if  you're  ready 
to  ride.  Run  you  over  to  Virginia  in  less  than  an 
hour,  but  you'll  have  to  be  lively,  boys.  Come  right 
along.  Thought  I'd  find  you  here;  and  we've  got 
that  gun,  too,  all  right.  S'pose  you  saw  Pelham 
wouldn't  answer." 

And  all  this  he  has  to  shout,  handsome,  bare- 
headed, well-nigh  breathless,  while  Laura,  possessed 
of  one  hand,  is  dancing  madly  on  the  portico.  Down 
about  the  canal  the  sputter  of  shots  has  died  away  as 
the  troopers  come  scurrying  back,  but  here  and  there 
far  out  over  the  muddy  roads  and  lanes,  bugle  speaks 
to  trumpet  and  rallying  calls  are  sounding,  and  away 
to  the  southeast  Pelham's  guns  are  booming  chal- 
lenge at  Stoneman's  still  more  distant  lines.  All 
around  is  throb  and  stir  and  sound  of  battle,  yet  here 
at  Heatherwood,  save  where  Laura  dances  in  elfish 
triumph,  there  has  fallen  sudden  silence  and  gloom. 
Heatherwood  and  Tighlman  have  disappeared  from 
their  window,  so  has  Belle.  Fairfax  has  not  been 
seen  since  the  moment  of  the  Southern  troopers' 
coming.  With  a  word  to  his  bewildered  guard,  who 
follows  him  as  he  would  his  own  captain,  he  has  left 
his  window  and  stepped  across  the  hall  into  another 
room.  Astonished  at  this  strange  reception.  Lieu- 
tenant Garnett  looks  one  moment  wonderingly  at  the 
now  vacant  windows,  then,  hearing  his  name  called 


248        THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

close  at  hand,  turns  and  finds  himself  almost  face  to 
face  with  Madam  Heatherwood. 

"My  son,  mj  nephew  thank  you,  Mr.  Gamett,  for 
your  daring  effort,  but — they  are  my  prisoners  now. 
They  are  bound  by  their  honor  until  exchanged," 
she  says,  with  sad  and  gentle  dignity. 

"But,  Mrs.  Heatherwood,"  he  interrupts,  impa- 
tiently, "no  parole  holds  good  in  the  event  of  a  recap- 
ture." And  as  he  speaks,  standing  there  with  un- 
covered head  beside  his  drooping  horse,  away  out 
over  the  southward  fields  the  quick  crackling  of 
musketry  redoubles,  and  Pelham's  guns  are  barking 
savagely.  The  sergeant,  bending  in  saddle,  sweeps 
the  gap  with  anxious  eyes. 

"We  haven't  a  minute  to  spare,  sir,"  he  mutters. 

"I  know  what  you  would  say,"  is  Mrs.  Heather- 
wood's  reply.  "IsTeither  of  them  is  fit  to  ride,  but 
neither  of  them  should  ride,  even  if  he  could,  for  the 
government  at  Washington  has  treated  us  with  kind- 
ness we  can  never  repay." 

"Mrs.  Heatherwood,"  bursts  in  Garnett,  impetu- 
ously, "we  have  counted  on  this  recapture.  It  was  to 
be  my  proud  duty  to  bring  in  your  boys  from 
Heatherwood  and  Fairfax  from  Leesburg.  Here 
come  their  horses  now." 

"Floyd  Fairfax!"  exclaims  Laura,  eagerly.  "Oh, 
do  take  him,  quick!  The  Yankees  call  him  a  spy, 
and  say  they'll  hang  him.  They  got  him  here,  but 
they  didn't  get  his  farmer  clothes." 

Garnett's  face  grows  yellow-white  at  the  instant. 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  249 

"Floyd  Fairfax  here!  You  cannot  mean  it!"  he 
cries,  turning  almost  angrily  upon  her. 

"I  do.  They  followed  him  here, — 'rested  him 
here." 

"Where  is  he?"  demands  Garnett,  springing  up  the 
steps,  as  the  sergeant  leaped  from  saddle  as  though 
to  detain  him. 

"Mount,  lieutenant!  Mount,  for  God's  sake! 
They're  driving  us  back.  We'll  be  surrounded  here 
in  a  second,"  he  cries. 

And  then  Garnett  halts  with  blazing  eyes,  for  at 
the  door-way — a  soldier  with  carried  rifle  at  his  back 
— there  stands  Fairfax,  pale  as  is  the  younger  soldier 
whose  hand  goes  up  in  salute,  but  the  words  he 
speaks  are  full  of  sternness,  even  suspicion. 

"Captain  Fairfax,  only  night  before  last  I  offended 
a  brother  officer  in  defending  your  name,  but  I  never 
thought  to  find  you — here.  You,  of  course,  can 
come — will  come  with  us." 

"I  of  course  would  come,  sir,  and  if  I  live  will 
come  to  answer  any  imputation,  but  go  you  must  at 
once.     I  cannot;  I  have  pledged  my  word." 

"Floyd — Floyd  Fairfax!  If  you  don't  go  you'll 
be  hanged  for  a  spy!"  shrieks  Laura  Waddell. 

"Say  to  General  Stuart,"  is  the  solemn  answer, 
"that  I  pledged  my  word  not  to  attempt  to  escape." 

And  with  the  words  there  comes  the  sound  of  hur- 
rying hoof-beats  through  the  yards,  through  the  or- 
chard, up  the  roadway,  and  the  sergeant  fairly  hurls 
himself  upon  his  young  leader,  almost  throws  him 


250        THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

into  saddle,  and  then  together  they  take  the  leap 
through  the  eastward  gap  in  the  hedgerow,  only  just 
in  time  to  avoid  the  rush  of  half  a  score  of  Union 
troopers,  two  of  whose  horses  drop  exhausted,  dead, 
at  the  doors  of  Heatherwood. 


CHAPTER   XVII. 

One  o'clock,  and  the  guns  have  almost  ceased 
their  sullen  thunder,  for  a  wonderful  thing  has  hap- 
pened. Despite  Stoneman's  opposing  lines  at  the 
southeast  about  the  fields  of  Poolesville;  despite  the 
hurriedly  aligned  regiments  of  Ward  facing  north- 
ward at  Conrad's  Ferry;  despite  the  utmost  efforts 
of  Pleasonton's  mud-covered  and  exhausted  little 
command  attacking  from  underneath  the  heights  of 
Heatherwood ;  despite  the  later  coming  of  Belden's 
Pennsylvanians' on  one  road  and  swearing  old  Foul- 
weather  with  his  gritty  regulars  on  the  other;  de- 
spite the  fact  that  Union  batteries,  battalions,  and 
squadrons  confront  him  north,  east,  and  south,  and 
a  river  rolls  to  his  right  on  the  west,  Jeb  Stuart,  the 
redoubtable,  has  skilfully  slipped  through  the 
meshes,  and  while  "the  incomparable"  Pelham,  with 
two  of  his  guns,  sends  shot  and  shell  at  every  ap- 
proaching column  from  the  low  heights  at  the  east 
of  White's  Ford,  the  other  two  splash  through  the 
Potomac  with  the  prisoners  and  plunder,  and  reap- 
pear in  a  twinkling  on  the  wooded  bluffs  of  the  Vir- 
ginia shore,  covering  the  ford  so  that,  squadron  by 
squadron,  the  jaunty  invaders  trot  dripping  back 
to  Dixie,  leaving  their  skirmish  lines  to  show  their 
teeth  to  the  slowly  enclosing  ranks  of  the  pursuers, 

251 


252  THE   GENERAVS  DOUBLE. 

until  Pelliam  limbers  up  and  lashes  his  remaining 
light  barkers  through  the  flood,  quickly  to  bellow 
new  challenge  from  the  Loudoun  shore.  Then  away 
skip  the  rearmost  skirmishers,  and  at  two  o'clock, 
on  the  very  ground  where  stood  the  Southern  guns 
the  hour  before,  the  commands  of  Ward,  Pleasonton, 
and  Stoneman  come  butting  their  heads  together, 
asking  each  other  how  the  devil  this  thing  was  pos- 
sible, and  why  the  dickens  this,  that,  or  the  other 
thing  wasn't  done  by  somebody  else.  It  was  all  sim- 
ple enough  when  one  came  to  study  it  out.  Penning- 
ton's rifles  got  stalled  in  the  sodden  fields,  and  even 
"doubling  up"  teams  didn't  help  them  out.  Pel- 
ham's  guns  had  the  pick  of  Pennsylvania  horses  to 
hitch  in  the  moment  a  wheeler  weakened.  Pleason- 
ton's  men  had  ridden  night  and  day  since  four 
o'clock  Saturday  morning,  and,  not  being  used  to 
such  things,  had  only  covered  eighty  miles,  a  dozen 
of  them  misdirected.  Stuart's  fellows,  trotting  night 
and  day  and  never  minding  it,  had  ridden  all  around 
Pleasonton,  and  seemed  to  hugely  enjoy  the  trip, 
for  raiding  and  riding  were  things  they  took  to  as 
they  did  their  daily  bread,  and  got  with  greater  regu- 
larity. Stuart  had  made  Ward  and  Stoneman  be- 
lieve he  meant  to  push  through  to  Edward's  Ferry, 
below  the  big  bend,  so  they  w^ere  hastening  to  block 
the  goal  towards  which  the  gray  skirmishers  in  ad- 
vance were  so  steadfastly  pushing.  Then,  when 
Ward's  regiments  were  all  handsomely  headed 
thither  and  well  out  of  the  way,  the  Virginia  leader 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  253 

quickly  slipped  his  main  body  along  a  sheltered  wood 
road,  screened  by  his  skirmishers,  straight  westward 
to  White's,  and  not  until  their  guns  unlimbered  on 
the  Loudoun  side  did  he  draw  in  the  threatening- 
veil,  leaving  Ward  and  Stoneman  to  storm  and 
swear,  sole  answer  they  could  give  at  such  long  range 
to  Pelhani's  derisive  barking  on  the  westward 
heights.  A  prettier  piece  of  skill  and  audacity  even 
Stuart  had  not  yet  essayed. 

Then  when  the  Union  leaders  came  together  and 
Ward  pluekily  demanded  permission  to  push  across, 
forgetful  of  Ball's  Bluff,  and  attack  the  lion  in  his 
lair,  he  was  wroth  because  Pleasonton  would  not 
lend  his  mired  guns  and  worn-out  cavalry,  and 
Pleasonton  declared  that  Stoneman  should  have  cov- 
ered White's  and  thereby  made  escape  for  Stuart 
impossible,  and  Stoneman  responded  that  what 
Pleasonton  said  was  absurd.  And  so  in  such  sweet 
accord  they  spent  the  Sunday  afternoon,  digging 
their  guns  out  of  the  mire  and  damning  each  other 
for  letting  Stuart  go.  But  what  they  thought  and 
said  wasn't  a  circumstance  to  what  the  Iron  Secre- 
tary remarked  in  Washington, — he  who  had  thun- 
dered, "ISTot  a  man  of  Stuart's  command  must  be 
allowed  to  escape  back  to  Virginia."  And  all  this 
had  the  Southern  leader  risked  and  accomplished 
without  the  loss  of  one  man  killed.  But  these  were 
the  days  before  the  leaders  of  the  Army  of  the  Po- 
tomac learned  the  use  and  need  of  cavalry;  before 
Hooker  had  organized  the  fine  divisions  that  with 


254  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

another  year  had  clipped  the  plumes  of  Stuart  and 
were  destined,  so  soon  after,  to  lay  him  low  at  Yel- 
low Tavern. 

One  splendid  piece  of  daring  had  shown  like  a 
rift  in  the  clouds  through  the  darkened  skies  of  that 
hapless  day, — Trooper  Bell's  magnificent  attempt  to 
save  that  isolated  gun  of  Pennington's  from  the  dash 
of  the  Southern  squadron,  and  the  heroic  fight  of  the 
little  detachment  against  four  times  their  number. 
Thrashing  the  maddened  gun  horses  with  their 
sabres,  they  had  urged  them  at  the  gallop  to  the  nar- 
row towjDath,  while  with  pistol  and  blade  the  devoted 
fellows  fought  furiously  to  beat  off  Gamett's  yelling 
pack,  and,  aided  by  the  fact  that  the  road  was  narrow 
and  hemmed  by  clifl^s  on  the  right  and  thick  shrub- 
bery on  the  left,  they  finally  landed  their  precious 
charge  safely  under  the  muzzles  of  the  aqueduct 
guards,  but  not  without  the  loss  of  two  gallant  fel- 
lows, shot  from  their  saddles  by  Virginia  lead,  and 
the  severe  hacking  of  Trooper  Bell  himself,  who  was 
turned  over  to  the  surgeons,  hero  of  the  day  perhaps, 
yet  battered  for  the  time  being  beyond  recognition. 

"Xo,"  said  Foul  weather,  as  he  bent  and  gazed  into 
the  bandaged  face  of  the  sleeper  in  the  improvised 
hospital  tent,  late  that  afternoon,  ^'that  isn't  Bell  of 
my  command.  If  it  was,"  he  added,  with  savagely 
grinding  teeth,  "I'd  kill  him." 

But  Bob  Hamlin  noted  how  daintily  white  Avas  the 
hand  that  twitched  outside  the  worn  gray  blanket, 
and  let  his  wrathful  leader  remount  without  gainsay- 


THE   GEXERAVS  DOUBLE.  255 

ing  his  word.  Foiihveather  had  that  he  mshed  to  sav 
to  Belden  of  the  brand-new  PennsylvanianSj  and 
rode  oft'  in  hot  haste  to  find  him,  while  Bold  Bob 
more  leisurely  examined  the  kit  of  the  prostrate 
trooper,  now  sleeping  under  the  influence  of  opiates. 
The  boots  settled  the  matter. 

"Take  good  care  of  that  man,  doctor,"  he  whis- 
pered, as  he  pressed  the  weary  surgeon's  hand. 
"There's  mettle  in  every  bone  of  him." 

"Take  care  of  him,  of  course,"  growled  that 
overworked  practitioner,  "though  you're  not  the  first 
to  bear  witness  to  his  worth,  by  a  dozen." 

And  so  as  the  sun  went  westering  behind  his 
shroud  of  mist,  and  the  rains  came  pelting  down 
again,  and  Pleasonton's  bedraggled  column  sought 
shelter  under  their  dripping  ponchos,  and  the  wearied 
horses  munched  at  the  hay  their  masters  bore  from 
Heatherwood  and  the  adjoining  farms,  the  cavalry 
general  rode  off  disconsolate  to  Point  of  Rocks,  in 
search  of  army  head-quarters,  that  he  might  report 
what  they  already  knew,  that  Stuart  was  safe  across 
the  Potomac  again  and  laughing  at  them  from  the 
Loudoun  bluffs.  And  Stuart  himself,  finding  that 
nobody  proposed  to  come  across  in  face  of  his  barkers, 
ordered  "limber  up"  and  rode  away  to  the  nearest 
gap,  plunder,  prisoners,  and  all,  to  tell  the  marvel- 
lous tale  of  his  wanderings  to  the  applauding  camps 
of  Lee. 

With  nightfall  the  Maine  men  rejoined  their  bri- 
gade, for  Clark  and  his  Xew  Hampshire  boys  came 


256        THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

dripping  back  to  reclaim  their  camp,  bearing  half  a 
dozen  wounded  and  leaving  two  unshrouded  dead. 
Clark  could  have  said  true  if  not  temperate  things 
about  that  morning's  work,  but  he  clamped  his  jaws 
and  onlj  looked  black  and  stern  when  men  inquired 
what  he  thought  of  the  mess.  Among  his  wounded, 
poor  boy,  was  Reuben  Pettingill,  who,  with  the  fore- 
most of  Ward's  skirmishers,  got  near  enough  to  be 
shot  through  the  leg  by  one  of  Stuart's  outermost 
flankers.  The  first  thing  the  colonel  did  was  to  see 
his  men  safe  once  more  within  his  guarded  streets 
and  his  wounded  carefully  attended  to.  Then  came 
the  straightening  out  of  the  accounts  of  the  day, 
while  the  cooks  prepared  supper  over  the  sputtering 
fires.  And  then,  as  the  officers  gathered  about  his 
tent,  and  other  officers,  hunting  for  lost  commands, 
came  in  to  crave  and  receive  soldier  hospitality,  there 
came  still  others  with  rumors  and  reports, — rumors 
of  what  they  termed  a  red-hot  row  between  two  regu- 
lars, Belden  and  Foulweather,  at  the  camp  of  the 
Pennsylvanians,  and  then  all  of  a  sudden  a  swift 
courier  from  the  camp  of  the  regulars  a  mile  up 
stream,  a  courier  who  bore  a  bundle  and  a  note, 
which  Clark  examined  in  his  tent,  then  called  for 
his  orderly  and  horses,  and,  bidding  a  guard  follow 
him,  took  the  winding  road  to  Heatherwood.  He 
found  the  lower  floor  swarming  with  stragglers,  the 
riff-raff  of  every  branch  of  the  service,  men  and  boys 
who  swore  they  hadn't  an  idea  where  to  look  for 
their  regiments,  and  so  had  invaded  Pleatherwood's 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  257 

once  sacred  precincts  until  their  regiments  should 
look  for  them.  These  he  sternly  ordered  forth  into 
the  ranks  of  the  guard,  bidding  the  latter  search  the 
barn  and  sheds,  then  made  personal  examination, 
finding  every  room, — parlor,  drawing-room,  dining- 
room,  the  sleeping-rooms  on  the  lower  floor, — all 
looted  and  littered,  even  to  that  little  chamber,  usu- 
ally kept  locked,  that  opened  off  the  rear  hall-way 
close  to  the  kitchen  door.  Finding  no  organized 
guardians,  these  armed  banditti,  foul  birds  of  prey, 
worthless  to  their  own  colors,  had  skulked  in  hiding 
while  better  men  were  straining  every  nerve  for  the 
cause  they  served.  With  battle-lines  forming  under 
their  very  eyes,  these  wretches  could  only  skulk  and 
sneak  and  steal.  Kitchen,  cellar,  and  closet  they  had 
robbed  and  ransacked.  Beautiful  old  colonial  furni- 
ture and  ornaments,  things  which  they  could  not 
carry  away,  in  sheer  wantonness  they  had  destroyed. 
Clark's  flattened  sabre  came  down  with  savage  whack 
on  the  back  of  one  burly  ruffian  snoring  on  the  couch 
in  the  hall-way,  an  emptied  wine-bottle  still  clutched 
in  his  hand.  Short  work  the  colonel  made  of  the 
tough  element  sprawled  about  the  house  or  swarming 
in  the  cellar.  Full  a  score  thus  caught  red-handed 
he  sent  under  guard  to  the  tents  of  the  provost-mar- 
shal, a  proceeding  which  Miss  Waddell,  from  the 
landing  at  the  head  of  the  stairs,  hailed  with  shrill 
approval  and  delight.  That  country  boy  corporal 
whom  Wardner  had  left  in  charge,  backed  by  one  or 
two  comrades  whom  he  had  called  into  service,  was 

17 


258  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

all  that  stood  between  Heatlierwood's  second  story 
and  the  throng  of  stragglers  on  the  floor  below,  for 
the  Virginia  officers  would  have  been  powerless. 

"Well,  I  never  thought  I'd  be  glad  to  see  a  Yankee 
uniform  so  much  in  my  life!"  exclaimed  Laura  as 
tlie  bearded  colonel  finally  came  wearily  up  the  stairs 
to  inquire  for  Madam  Heatherwood.  "She's  better. 
She  bears  it  better'n  any  of  the  rest  of  us,  but  Lawd 
sakes,  it  was  enough  to  make  me  mid  to  see  her  go 
down  and  plead  so  gently  with  those  thieves  and 
scoundrels.  Why,  they  were  just  smashing  every- 
tliing.  'Course  they  stopped  while  she  was  there; 
the  man  don't  live  that  could  be  rude  to  aunty.  But 
the  moment  her  back  was  turned  they  began  again. 
Floyd  Fairfax,  he  went  down — he  took  off  his  uni- 
form— Aunty  made  him, — but  he  couldn't  whip  a 
hundred  of  'em." 

"Floyd  Fairfax!  Yes,"  responded  Clark,  "and 
where  is  this  Captain  Fairfax?" 

"Oh,  I  forgot.  He  wasn't  here  when  you  were. 
He's — ^you  know  he's  a  sort  of  a  cousin  of  ours — he's 
— he's  a  prisoner.  He  was  caught.  But,"  she  added, 
with  pouting  lip  and  rush  of  vivid  color,  "General 
Stuart's  officers  recaptured  him  to-day,  only  he 
wouldn't  go,  wouldn't " 

"Pardon  me,  Miss  Waddell,"  said  the  colonel;  "I 
must  see  these  gentlemen  at  once;  and  then  will  you 
announce  me  to  Mrs.  Heatherwood?  Where  shall 
I  find  the  officers?" 

For  answer  the  corporal  at  the  landing  motioned 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  259 

to  his  right,  and,  leaving  the  girl,  the  colonel  fol- 
lowed his  guide  to  the  front  room  on  the  north  side 
of  the  hall.  The  doors  to  the  south  were  closed.  A 
dim  light  was  burning  within.  A  tall  officer  in  shirt 
sleeves,  a  man  with  haggard  face,  was  nervously 
pacing  the  floor.  Two  others,  spent  and  weary  with 
the  wild  excitement  of  the  day,  were  lying,  one  in 
bed,  apparently  exhausted,  the  other  on  the  sofa  on 
the  northward  side.  Silently  Clark  entered  the 
room,  instinctively  removing  his  black  felt  hat. 
Silently  the  tall  Confederate  halted  and  faced  him. 
Silently  Ralph  Heatherwood  rose  and  leaned  heavily 
on  a  chair.  Curious  to  hear  what  this  officer  of  rank 
might  have  to  say  to  the  prisoner  left  in  his  charge, 
the  boy  corporal  followed  to  the  door- way,  where  he 
stood  respectfully  at  the  threshold,  then  again  drew 
back  as  a  tall  lieutenant  in  the  dress  of  the  Union 
infantry  came  hastening  after  his  commander. 

For  a  moment  no  word  was  spoken.  The  New 
Hampshire  colonel,  the  Virginia  captain,  stood 
facing  each  other,  two  war-worn  men  whose  years 
widely  differed,  yet  whose  days  of  active  service  must 
have  been  nearly  equal.  There  was  an  expression  in 
the  calm,  stern  face  of  the  !^^orthemer  that  seemed 
to  stir  resentfully  the  current  of  the  Virginian's 
blood,  for  his  dark  cheek  flushed  and  his  eyes  slowly 
began  to  glow,  symptoms  which  Heatherwood  was 
quick  to  see,  for  he  came  hastily,  painfully  for- 
ward. 

"Colonel  Clark,"  he  said,  "I  feel  sure  you  have 
received  some  impression  or  information  concerning 


260        THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

our  kinsman,  Captain  Fairfax,  that  is  imjnst  to  him. 
If  YOU  knew  what  he  has  refused  to-day  you  could 
never  suspect  him  of  having  come  here  as  a  spy." 

"Unless  Captain  Fairfax  came  here  with  Stuart's 
command  this  day  he  could  never  have  reached 
ileatherwood  except  in  disguise,"  was  Clark's  cold 
answer.  "And  it  is  my  duty  to  say  to  Captain  Fair- 
fax that  an  officer  with  suitable  guard  from  my  regi- 
ment will  be  here  presently  to  conduct  him  to  the 
quarters  of  the  provost-marshal  at  Point  of  Rocks. 
Mr.  llomans,"  he  continued,  turning  to  the  door- 
way, "send  my  orderly  for  the  adjutant." 

And  then  he  himself  stepped  back  a  pace  and 
bowed  gravely  and  reverently,  for,  leaning  on  her 
daughter's  arm,  and  followed  by  Laura,  Madam 
Heatherwood,  as  they  loved  to  call  her,  came  slowly 
into  the  room. 

"The  fortunes  of  war  have  gone  heavily  against 
poor  old  Heatherwood  to-day,  my  friend,"  she  said, 
a  sad,  sweet  smile  upon  her  patient  face.  "Surely 
it  cannot  be  that  any  of  my  poor  boys  must  be  taken, 
away  to-night." 

The  tremulous  appeal  in  her  gentle  voice,  the 
rising  tears  in  her  fading  eyes  were  more  than  Clark 
could  bear.  Quickly  he  pushed  forward  an  easy- 
chair,  and  now,  with  Miss  Ileatherwood  assisting, 
seated  her  and  found  a  footstool  for  her  feet  before 
he  could  trust  himself  to  reply. 

"You  do  not  know  how  I  deplore  the  havoc  these 
skulkers  have  played,  dear  lady,"  he  said  at  length. 
"A  dozen  of  them  are  now  under  guard,  and  it  shall 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  261 

go  hard  with  thorn,  for  it  mil  anger  your  friends 
at  court  to  know  that  in  all  the  confusion  of  this  day 
your  home  has  been  desecrated  and  you  and  those 
you  love  have  been  put  to  distress." 

"But — Caj^tain  Fairfax?"  she  interposed,  appeal- 
ingly.  What  was  the  desolation  over  which  poor 
Mammy  Chloe  was  wailing  now  below  to  that  which 
might  prevail  at  Leesburg  if  ill  were  to  befall  the 
gallant  boy  in  whom  so  many  hearts  were  centred? 

"For  Captain  Fairfax,  I  regret  to  say,  the  govern- 
ment entertains  views  far  different  to  those  which 
concern  your  son  and  nephew.  They  were  brought 
here  wounded  and  helpless,  sent  to  you  in  return  for 
all  the  loving  care  you  gave  our  wounded  after  Bull 
Kun  and  Ball's  Bluff.  Captain  Fairfax," — and  here 
his  deep-set  eyes  turned  full  on  the  accused  officer, 
who,  folding  his  arms,  stood  erect,  his  head  thrown 
haughtily  back, — "Captain  Fairfax,  whose  absence 
from  his  regiment  is  in  itself  a  matter " 

"A  matter  between  Captain  Fairfax  and  his  regi- 
ment only,  sir,"  sternly  interrupted  the  Virginian. 

"Whose  absence  from  his  regiment  is  in  itself  a 
matter  that  involves  him  in  suspicion,"  calmly  con- 
tinued the  colonel.  "He  is  known  to  have  reached 
Poolesville  and  to  have  lurked  there  in  disguise,  and 
he  could  have  come  here  when  he  did  only  in 
disguise." 

"And  didn't  your  cavalry  fellas  last  night  hunt 
high  and  low  through  this  house,"  burst  in  Miss 
Waddell,  her  black  eyes  snapping,  "swearing  Floyd 
Fairfax  came  dressed  like  a  farmer,  as  if  a  Fairfax 


262        THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

would  dress  like  a  farmer  anyliow,  and  never  a 
stitch  of  such  a  thing  could  they  find,  'cept  some 
rags  belonging  to  old  Uncle  Joe  in  the  cellar?" 

"Laura,  child,  you  must  not  interfere,"  said  Mrs. 
Heatherwood,  reprovingly.  "Yet  what  she  says  is 
true,  colonel,"  she  continued,  turning  again  to  the 
stalwart  Xew-Engiander,  while  the  sound  of  heavy 
footsteps  could  be  heard  coming  hurriedly  up  the 
stairs,  and  silence  fell  on  the  group  in  the  room,  and 
all  eyes  were  turned  to  the  door-way,  where  presently 
there  appeared  another  officer,  two  or  three  soldiers 
in  dripping  overcoats  at  his  back.  The  rain  pattering 
on  Heatherwood's  roof  was  for  another  moment  the 
only  sound.  Then  once  again,  in  wistful  appeal,  the 
gentle  lady's  eyes  turned  to  Colonel  Clark.  Words 
were  unnecessary.  He  read  the  question  in  her 
anxious  face. 

"It  would  be  useless  to  attempt  to  deceive  you, 
Mrs.  Heatherwood,"  he  said,  so  simply  and  sadly. 
"Some  one  has  tried  hard  to  shield  your  unfortunate 
kinsman  by  niaking  way  with  the  disguise  in  which 
Captain  Fairfax  reached  this  house,"  and  here  Belle 
Heatherwood's  white  face  was  lifted  in  terror  from 
her  mother's  lap,  and,  kneeling,  she  gazed  speechless 
into  the  colonel's  face.  "But  he  had  not  time  to  ex- 
amine the  pockets  before  he  flung  it  into  the  Mono- 
cacy.  This  memorandum  book— these  papers — were 
found  within  the  bundle  not  two  hours  ago." 

And  then  the  white  face  of  the  girl  dropped,  inert, 
sightless,  and  the  pliant,  drooping  form  slid  suddenly 
in  dead  faint  to  the  floor. 


CHAPTER    XYIII. 

A  FORTNIGHT  longer,  despite  impatient  proddings 
from  Washington,  McClellan  clung  to  the  Maryland 
shore,  and  allowed  his  plucky  adversary  to  regain 
strength  and  "second  wind"  across  the  Potomac. 
Finer  marching  weather  he  could  not  ask  for,  but 
shoes  for  man  and  beast  he  could  and  did.  The 
army  could  not  move  without  them.  Observant 
statesmen  suggested  that  Johnny  Reb  seemed  to 
skip  about  the  country  hatless,  shoeless,  and  often 
breadless,  fighting  like  the  very  devil  with  nothing 
but  pluck  and  parched  corn  in  his  wrinkled  stomach. 
Suggestive  statesmen  observed  that  perhaps  the 
Northern  lads  might  try  a  little  of  Johnny's  dress 
and  diet  with  better  results.  AVhereat  McClellan 
smiled  placidly  and  said  that  all  military  authorities 
agreed  that  armies  moved  upon  their  bellies,  and  he 
would  be  no  violator  of  precedent.  The  careworn, 
patient  leader  of  all,  scanning  the  situation  from  the 
White  House,  whimsically  remarked  that  he  could 
stand  a  few  cases  of  such  violation  of  all  military  pre- 
cedent as  the  tactics  of  Stuart  and  Stonewall  Jack- 
son were  declared  to  be  by  the  little  chieftain  at  the 
head  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac.  But  neither 
smiles  nor  sarcasm  could  prevail  against  book-rooted 

theories  so  long  as  a  man  remained  without  a  hat  or  a 

263 


264        THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

mule  without  a  shoe.  I^ot  until  the  fag-end  of  Octo- 
ber did  the  pontoons  span  the  river  opposite  the 
Catoctin  valley,  and  the  long  blue  columns  began 
the  crossing  that  was  to  lead  them  on  to  the  useless 
sacrifice  of  Fredericksburg,  the  snarl  and  disaster  of 
Chancellorsville.  And  ere  they  passed  away  from 
under  the  shadows  of  the  rock-bound  heights  new 
sorrows  had  come  to  the  gentle  mistress  of  Heather- 
wood,  new  calamities  upon  her  household.  Con- 
vened at  Point  of  Rocks,  a  military  commission  sat 
in  judgment  on  Captain  Floyd  Fairfax,  C.S.A.,  de- 
clared to  have  been  caught  as  a  spy  within  the  Union 
lines.  Transferred  to  Washington  as  convalescent, 
Ralph  Ileatherwood  and  Bradley  Tighlman  were 
impatiently  awaiting  their  exchange  and  wondering 
why,  when  Southern  prisons  were  teeming  with 
Union  officers,  there  should  be  this  delay.  Worn 
with  the  strain  of  excitement,  anxiety,  and  distress, 
Belle  Heatherwood  had  broken  down  and  was  lying 
very  ill  at  the  old  homestead,  nursed  by  her  devoted 
mother,  who,  even  in  all  her  own  cares  and  physical 
weakness,  had  found  time  to  spend  an  hour,  at  least, 
each  day  in  the  neighboring  field-hospital  that  Stuart 
left  well  provided  with  patients,  and  there  had  she 
discovered  Trooper  Bell,  there  had  Laura  pounced 
on  Pettingill. 

ISTovember  1st  had  come,  and  all  day  long  the 
blue  columns  had  been  trudging  away  through  Lou- 
doun County,  and  only  the  guards  along  the  aque- 
duct, the  now  partially  restored  canal,  and  the  field- 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  265 

hospital  remained  about  Heatherwood  to  remind 
Miss  Waddell  of  the  bustling  days  of  September. 
The  bees  had  long  since  ceased  to  hum  in  the  or- 
chard. The  trees  were  bare.  There  was  a  whiff  as  of 
snow  in  the  frosty  wind,  and  winter  had  come  down 
early  on  the  blue  Virginia  mountains.  All  the  same, 
with  a  shawl  thrown  over  her  head,  her  black  eyes 
snapping  and  her  cheeks  aglow,  Miss  Waddell  found 
her  health  required  frequent  exercise  at  the  old  tryst, 
and  thither,  day  after  day,  a  long,  lank  hero  would 
hobble  on  crutches  up  the  heights  and  plead  in  the 
unmelodious  patois  of  the  Connecticut  Valley  for  a 
promise  Miss  Waddell  scorned  to  give,  but  would 
have  hated  him  had  he  ceased  to  importune.  Reuben 
Pettingill,  commended  in  orders  and  personally  con- 
gratulated by  Colonel  Clark  for  intrepid  conduct  in 
face  of  the  enemy,  decorated  now  with  the  chevrons 
of  a  corporal  and  deluged  with  letters  from  home, 
was  after  all  only  a  lion  in  a  snare,  bewitched  by  the 
black  eyes  of  his  buxom  sweetheart.  For  five  days 
she  had  toyed  with  and  tormented  him,  and  now  the 
spirit  of  the  Puritan  rose  in  his  breast,  and  he'd  have 
no  more  of  it.  In  the  inner  pocket  of  his  blue  coat 
he  bore  that  day  a  trump  card  he  had  determined  to 
play  for  all  it  was  worth,  but  not  until  he  had  recon- 
noitred the  ground.  Ordinarily  he  made  his  way  up 
the  path  by  which  Pleasonton  had  disappeared  the 
day  Stuart's  squadrons  went  dancing  by.  But  on  this 
sunshiny,  ISTovember  morning,  rejoicing  in  returning 
health  and  strength  and  in  the  keen,  exhilarating  air, 


266         THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

he  straddled  with  his  crutches  the  narrow  foot-track 
leading  from  the  spring  at  the  westward  base  of  the 
Heatherwood  height  and  winding  through  the  leafy 
woods  to  the  rear  of  the  barn.  There  to  his  left  as  he 
climbed  he  could  see  the  familiar  cone  of  Sugar  Loaf, 
the  signal-flags  waving  at  the  summit,  their  more 
languid  sweep  a  marked  contrast  to  the  frantic  haste 
with  which  they  swung  the  morning  he  and  his  New 
Hampshire  fellows  were  double-quicking  into  line 
away  down  there  by  Harrison's  Island  and  shouting 
with  joy  when  the  word  was  passed  that  now  Jeb 
Stuart  would  find  himself  confronted  by  fellows  he 
couldn't  sweep  aside.  He  wondered  what  they  were 
signalling  about  to-day,  and  what  there  was  going  on 
that  should  keep  the  flags  at  Maryland  Heights  and 
above  Point  of  Rocks  and  here  at  Sugar  Loaf  all 
swinging  away  for  dear  life.  He  wondered  whether 
there  could  be  any  more  of  that  looking-glass  foolish- 
ness from  the  dormer-windows  of  Heatherwood. 
Hard  times  had  come  to  the  kindly  household,  cer- 
tainly, and  all  through  that  absurd  experiment  that 
Laura  so  vehemently  declared  now  was  only  just  for 
fun  and  "to  fool  you  Yankees,"  but  that  at  the  time 
she  devoutly  believed  was  to  compass  the  overthrow 
of  the  J^orthern  arms.  Things  were  going  worse 
still  with  that  Virginia  captain,  Fairfax,  Pettingill 
had  heard.  The  evidence  was  all  dead  against  him. 
A  real  signal-code,  though  a  crude  one,  had  been 
found  in  the  pockets  of  the  suit  of  farmer  clothing 
he  was  proved  to  have  worn  at  Poolesville  and  that 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  267 

was  fished  out  of  the  Monocacy  by  some  of  that  old 
Swearweather's  squadron — what  awful  curse-words 
that  fellow  could  use,  to  be  sure! — the  very  night 
he,  Reuben  Pettingill,  was  landed  in  hospital  with  a 
hole  through  his  leg.  That  was  a  dreadful  find  for 
Fairfax;  but  for  it  his  neck  might  have  been  saved; 
and  somebody  had  tried  hard  to  save  it,  as  it  was,  for 
even  Laura  could  not  deny  that  those  clothes  had 
been  actually  within  the  walls  of  Heathenvood.  It 
was  a  dreadful  find  for  kind  Madam  Heatherwood, 
too,  for  ever  since  it  seemed  as  though  the  Washing- 
ton folk  had  denied  her,  and  Reuben  had  heard  Colo- 
nel Clark  mournfully  say  that  when  Secretary  Stan- 
ton once  got  an  idea  that  people  were  tricking  him 
or  tricking  the  government,  God  Almighty  couldn't 
make  him  change  his  mind.  That  was  why  they  had 
taken  her  son  off  to  Old  Capitol  Prison  or  some  such 
place;  that  was  why  the  provost-marshal  had  paid 
her  that  solemn  visit  only  a  few  days  ago,  the  second 
day  he  and  Laura  were  sitting  together  out  in  the 
orchard,  and  Laura  said  they  wanted  information 
about  some  officer — some  staff-officer  who  wasn't  in 
the  army  at  all;  at  least,  Lieutenant  Homans  said 
he  was  personating  an  officer  who,  as  it  turned  out, 
was  nowhere  near  Heatherwood  at  the  time,  a 
splendid-looking  fellow  he  was, — they  had  all  seen 
him, — and  here  at  Heatherwood  the  family  must 
know  him.  Reuben  stopped  to  breathe  and  rest 
awhile  as  he  reached  the  fence  at  the  back  of  the 
barn-yard  and  sat  him  down  and  looked  back  over  the 


268  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

broad  valley,  hemmed  in  at  the  west  by  those  grand 
ranges.  Away  to  the  north  the  isolated  peak  of  Sugar 
Loaf  rose  against  the  sky,  its  verdure  gone,  its  rocky 
sides  tinged  with  crimson  and  brown.  Away  beyond 
it,  west  of  north,  the  sunlight  glinting  on  distant 
spire  and  whitened  wall  told  where  Frederick  lay, — 
Frederick,  to  whose  jail  they  had  ordered  transferred 
the  prisoner  whose  earthly  home  snuggled  there  to 
the  south  among  the  copper-colored  slopes  and  heights 
only  as  far  away  one  side  as  lay  Frederick  on  the 
other,  yet  so  far  that  Floyd  Fairfax  might  never  look 
upon  it  again,  for,  despite  the  fact  that  there  was 
still  one  witness  to  examine,  the  finding  could  only 
be  guilty,  the  sentence  could  only  be  death,  and  in 
the  present  temper  of  the  Iron  Secretary  what  hope 
for  mercy  could  there  be? 

And  yet,  he  mused,  there  was  that  queer,  silent 
fellow  they  called  Bell,  that  regular  that  did  such 
magnificent  work  saving  the  guns  on  the  day  of 
Stuart's  raid,  the  fellow  for  whose  evidence  the 
court  was  waiting.  Talk  about  his,  Pettingill's, 
"intrepidity"  because  he  kept  going  forward  at  a 
hot  run  firing  at  those  skip-acks  of  Johnnies  in 
saddle  until  one  of  them  drove  a  hole  in  him, — talk 
about  that  being  intrepid, — why  this  fellow  Bell  had 
fought  like  a  fiend,  hand  to  hand,  hilt  to  hilt,  with 
more'n  a  dozen  of  'em,  and  got  hacked  and  hewed 
and  battered  until  he  lay  like  a  man  with  a  split  skull 
for  nearly  a  week,  and  he  was  to  be  made  sergeant  as 
soon  as  he  was  able  to  rejoin;    and  his  commander, 


THE  GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  269 

Lieutenant  Hamlin,  liad  come  and  sat  by  him  when 
he  grew  conscious  again,  and  so  had  Captain  Mcin- 
tosh and  other  shanghai  regulars,  and  the  surgeon  had 
let  out  that  here  was  a  man  that  could  have  a  commis- 
sion any  day;  and  if  any  man  ought  to  be  proud  and 
happy  it  certainly  should  be  Bell,  yet  no  sooner  was 
that  fellow  able  to  be  up  and  moving  than  he  be- 
came queer.  He  damned  the  attendant  for  a  fool 
when  he  heard  him  say  Captain  Fairfax  was  a  spy 
who  was  sure  to  be  hanged,  and  flew  into  a  regular 
tantrum  about  it.  Then,  when  they  told  him  it  was 
true  that  Fairfax  was  being  tried  by  a  court,  and  that 
he,  Bell,  was  going  to  be  called  as  a  witness,  and  that 
the  clothes  that  Fairfax  had  worn  and  the  note-book 
and  other  things  were  found.  Bell  just  suddenly  col- 
lapsed. That  night  he  was  missing  from  hospital, 
and  the  next  day,  too,  until  they  found  him,  raving 
drunk,  wandering  about  Heatherwood  and  crying 
like  a  baby.  He  was  back  in  the  doctor's  hands  now 
mad  as  a  hatter,  and  Madam  Heatherwood  had  im- 
plored the  doctor  to  let  him  be  moved  to  a  room 
in  her  house,  and  the  doctor  had  had  to  refuse. 
Laura  knew  something  about  that  fellow,  said  Pet- 
tingill,  smiting  his  thigh,  then  starting  in  pain  with 
a  yelp  of  "Mighty  Man!"  that  Laura  herself  might 
have  heard  even  at  this  distance  had  Laura  not  been 
singing. 

"Weary  of  waiting  for  her  Yankee  adorer,  impa- 
tient of  his  coming,  the  girl  was  resorting  to  her  old 
time  method  of  telling  him  so,  and,  Lilly  Dale  having 


270  THE  GENERAL'S  DOUBLE, 

been  buried,  she  had  resurrected  another  heroine  of 
school-girl  romance,  and  high  and  shrill  rose  her 
voice  over  the  withering  hedge  and  floated  back  to 
where  her  lover  sat  beyond  the  barn,  and  he  mounted 
his  crutches  and  heaved  himself  up  to  listen. 

"  Thou  ahtgone,  a-las  !  gentle  Annie-e-e-, 
Like  all  flowah  thy  spirit  did  depaht ; 
Thou  aht  gone,  a-las  !   like  the  man-eee-e 

That  have  bloomed  in  the  summuh  of  ma  haht. 

(Louder)     Shall  we  nevah  mo'  behold  thee  ? — 

Nevah  hee-ah  thy  winning  voice  again-n-n 
"When  the  spring  time  comes,  gentle  Annie-ee-e, 
When  the  wild  flowahs  blossom  o'ah  th'  plain?" 

Corporal  Pettingill  came  seven  league  booting  it 
through  the  barn-yard,  and  was  near  the  hedge  and 
stirring  up  old  Dobbin  as  the  girl  reached  the  end 
of  the  first  verse  of  her  rural  lay.  Then  he  ducked 
to  avoid  observation  and  to  listen  to  any  observation 
she  might  let  fall. 

"Ah  wish  that  fella'd  be  here  when  he  said  he 
would,"  pouted  Miss  AVaddell,  instinctively  substi- 
tuting broad  a  for  i,  as  she  generally  did  when  vexed, 
and  eliding  her  r's  as  she  did  at  any  time.  "Ah'd 
pay  him  off  good  'f  theli  was  only  'nuthuh  fella  wuth 
note'sin  'round.  All  the  nice  ones  have  gone." 
Then  she  stopped  to  listen.  The  heavy,  languorous 
days  of  early  fall  had  disappeared.  November  had 
come  in  wintry  and  gusty.  There  was  silence  as  of 
the  grave  about  Heatherwood,  broken  only  by  the 
voice  of  the  sentry  and  the  few  guards  chatting  on 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  271 

the  eastward  lawn,  for  a  new  guard  there  was  and  not 
too  kind  a  one,  and  its  commander  slept  in  the  parlor 
on  the  ground  floor.  Madam  Heatherwood  and  her 
household,  despite  her  many  kindnesses,  were  objects 
of  suspicion.  A  general  ofiicer  left  with  the  Twelfth 
Corj)s  to  guard  the  line  of  the  Potomac  had  been 
ordered  to  keep  an  eye  wide  open  and  to  permit  no 
more  nonsense  there. 

The  first  apostrophe  to  gentle  Annie  having  failed 
to  lure  her  crippled  hero  to  her  feet.  Miss  Waddell 
tried  a  second,  to  which  the  members  of  the  guard  in 
front  seemed  to  lend  appreciative  ear,  as,  indeed, 
they  had  bestowed  upon  the  singer  appreciative 
glances.  It  was  possibly  in  recognition  of  the  fas- 
cination of  this  rural  beauty  that  the  general  com- 
manding had  ordered  that  the  guard  should  be 
changed  every  day.  They  were  a  rusty-looking  lot, 
the  five  boys  in  blue,  chatting  there  on  the  bluff,  and 
Miss  Waddell  would  have  naught  to  do  with  them 
beyond  assuring  herself  that  her  presence  and  song 
had  received  due  recognition.  And  still  Reuben  the 
Faithful  lurked  in  his  lair  and  refused  to  be  called 
forth.  It  was  getting  late  and  Laura  weary.  Belle 
Brandon  was  another  damsel  whose  demise  w^as  much 
lamented  in  the  lyrics  of  the  day,  and  Laura  tried  a 
line  or  two  of  that  young  lady's  life  history: — 

"  Belle  Brandon  was  a  birdlinj  of  the  mountain, 
In  freedom  she  spohted  o'ah  the  lea  ; 
And  they  said  that  the  blood  of  the  red  man 
Tinged  her  veins  from  a  fah  distant  sea." 


272        THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

And  this  far-fetclied  statement,  or  the  sight  of  the 
corporal  of  the  guard  peeping  through  the  trellis, 
proved  too  much  for  Pettingill.  He  broke  cover 
forthwith  and  came  stilting  it  into  the  orchard. 

"Guess  you  thought  I  never  was  coming,"  said  he, 
placably. 

"Guess  Ah  wouldn't  'a'  cared  if  you'd  nevuh 
come,"  was  the  mendaciously  pert  reply. 

"Well,"  said  Reuben,  bluntly,  "that's  real  good. 
I  didn't  know  but  you  might  feel  bad  after  all — if  I 
went  away." 

"Huh!"  said  Miss  Waddell,  in  deep  disdain.  "N"© 
danger  you'h  goin'!     You  couldn't  march  or  fight." 

Mr.  Pettingill  had  seated  himself  on  the  rustic 
bench  close  to  which  his  inamorata  was  standing 
when  his  sudden  appearance  surprised  her.  He 
carefully  placed  the  crutches  to  his  right  side  and 
then  invitingly  patted  the  wooden  slab  at  his  left. 

"Ain't  you  going  to  sit?"   he  asked. 

"It's  too  late,"  said  Miss  Waddell,  pouting.  "I've 
got  other  matters — impo'tant  matters — to  attend  to." 
And  the  toss  of  the  head  was  fine  to  see,  so  was  the 
side  glance  at  the  supervising  corj>oral  at  the  old 
garden  gate. 

"I  admire  to  know,"  said  Reuben,  simply,  then 
reached  for  his  crutches.  "Well,  if  you  have  to  go, 
so  must  I.  Doctor  says  he  wants  me  to  get  all  the 
exercise  possible  without  tiring  myself.  I'll  be 
taking  a  longer  walk  later,  likely  enough,"  and  he 
slowly  adjusted  his  crutches  as  he  spoke  and  began 
lifting  himself  from  his  seat. 


THE  GENERALS  DOUBLE.  273 

"I  didn't  tell  you  to  go,"  said  Miss  Waddell.  "But 
you  can't  see  aunty  now  even  if  you  do  go  to  the 
house." 

"Sure,"  said  Reuben,  placidly.  "I  know  she's  like 
to  be  busy,  but  I  don't  want  to  go  away  without 
thanking  her  for  all  her  goodness  to  me.  She's  an 
angel,  she  is." 

"Well,  you  needn't  be  in  a  hurry,"  said  Miss  "Wad- 
dell,  not  without  an  anxious  glance,  however.  ''You 
won't  have  to  follow  the  regiment  for  weeks  yet,  and 
they'll  be  retreating  back  here  before  you  can  get 
away." 

"  'Tisn't  that,"  said  Reuben,  sweetly.  "You  see 
they're  powerful  anxious  to  have  me  come  home  a 
spell, — mother  and  the  girls."  And  here  he  slowly 
produced  the  all-important  paper  from  the  breast  of 
his  coat.  "They've  sent  me  this  from  Washington. 
The  doctor  thought  I  might  start  to-morrow  just  as 
well  as  not." 

"'Tain't  well  as  not!"  flashed  Miss  Waddell, 
taking  genuine  alarm  at  once.  "You  know  you're 
a  good  deal  too  weak  and  sick  to  ride  so  far— alone." 

"That's  it,"  continued  Reuben,  thoughtfully,  rub- 
bing his  chin.  "Sis  and  two  of  the  girls  were  coming- 
down  as  far  as  Albany  or  Springfield  to  meet  me — 
perhaps  to  York.  They've  never  seen  the  Hudson, 
you  know,  and  we  could  all  go  up  to  Albany  together 
and  home  that  way." 

"Well,  I  just  bet  you  now  you  don't  go,  Reuben 
Pettingill,"  flamed  Miss  Waddell,  "not  until  you're 


274        THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

a  mighty  sight  stronger."  Then,  swift  to  assume  the 
appealing,  now  that  other  means  had  failed:  "Least 
not  if  you  ca-yuh  for  what  I  care."  And  Miss  Wad- 
dell's  fingers  were  hopelessly  tangled  in  the  cord  of 
her  cloak.  Her  cheeks  were  flushing,  her  bosom 
tossing  like  a  troubled  sea,  and  her  downcast  eyes 
were  full  of  reproach,  and  all  the  time  he  had  the 
hardihood  to  stand  there  actually  trembling  with 
hope,  yet  unrelenting. 

"It's  a  chance  any  fellow  would  give  months  of 
his  pay  to  get,"  said  he,  reflectively. 

"Then  go  to  your — your  girls!"  exclaimed  Miss 
Waddell,  with  prodigious  flounce,  as  she  whirled  in- 
dignantly about.  "And— and  don't  bother  us  any 
more."  But  big  tears  were  starting  in  her  great  black 
eyes  as  she  spoke,  and  Reuben  found  his  heart  ham- 
mering glory  hallelujah!  almost  as  though  the  New 
Engknd  men  had  sung  it. 

"You — never  told  me  there — were  any  girls,"  said 
Miss  Waddell,  disheartened  at  his  silence. 

"I  didn't  suppose  you  cared,"  he  answered,  hum- 

bly. 

"I  didn't!"  this  with  prompt  indignation.  "Only 
— I  know  you  meant  to  be  mean,  and— and  hide  it." 

"I  swow  to  gosh!"averred  Mr.  Pettingill,  whose 
mild  blue  eyes  were  twinkling  with  delight  at  his 
success,  "I  didn't  even  s'pose  they'd  interest  you. 
Sis  has  only  two, — eight  and  ten."  And  then  he 
hopped  two  paces  nearer,  in  one  spoke-like,  semi- 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  275 

revolution  of  his  crutches,  only  in  time  to  meet  her 
fire-flashing  eyes  and  a  burst  of  wrath. 

"You've — you've  just  been  fooling  me!"  she 
cried.  But  further  words  were  stopped,  for  there 
came  a  sound  that  caused  their  sudden  pause,  the 
sound  of  crunching  hoofs  by  the  score,  of  clanging 
scabbards  and  jingling  spur,  the  sound  of  the  stern 
command,  "Left  into  line!"  and  a  platoon  of  cavalry 
had  suddenly  occupied  the  space  in  front  of  the  old 
mansion.  Two  officers,  dismounting,  were  already 
at  the  door,  and  one  of  them,  short,  swarthy,  strad- 
dle-legged,— the  girl  knew  him  instantly  before  she 
heard  his  voice, — was  already  under  the  colonnade 
and  at  the  door.  Foulweather,  for  all  the  world! 
Foulweather,  whose  brow  was  black  as  thunder. 

"Say  to  the  mistress  of  this  place,"  they  heard  him 
boom  to  some  unseen  servant  or  orderly,  "that  I  pur- 
pose searching  it  from  garret  to  cellar  at  once  for  the 
person  of  the  arch  rebel  and  spy,  Fairfax,  who  es- 
caped the  guard  this  morning." 

"Glory!  Glory!  Glory!"  screamed  Miss  Wad- 
dell,  clapping  her  hands  and  dancing  in  uncontrolla- 
ble delight.  "Glory!  Glory!  Glory!  That's  the 
last  chance  the  Yankees  vnW  ever  have  to  hang  /lim, 
anyway!" 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

Xo  wonder  the  signal-flags  were  waving.  Xo  won- 
der there  was  wrath  in  the  breast  of  Foulweather, 
stanchest  of  loyalists.  Xo  wonder  there  was  con- 
sternation in  the  camp  at  Point  of  Rocks,  for  treason 
was  Inrking  in  their  midst.  A  state  prisoner,  a  brave, 
reckless  Virginian,  captured  within  the  lines,  and 
proved  to  have  ventured  thither  in  disguise,  ar- 
raigned before  the  commission  ordered,  swift  and 
sudden,  for  his  trial,  with  further  orders  that  an  irate 
War  Secretary  had  given  to  lose  no  time  in  formali- 
ties, a  prisoner  whose  case  was  seen  to  be  hopeless 
from  the  very  start,  despite  the  fact  of  one  missing 
link  in  the  chain  of  evidence  against  him,  had  been 
spirited  away  from  the  thick  of  the  guard,  and  had 
goue  no  man  knew  whither.  "One  thing  was  cer- 
tain," said  the  chagrined  officials  charged  with  his 
safe-keeping,  "there  must  have  been  collusion  on  the 
part  of  the  sentries,  collusion  that  doubtless  involved 
non-commissioned  officers  and  possibly  commissioned 
officers,  for  without  the  aid  of  the  guard  no  living- 
being  could  possibly  pass  their  lines." 

And  why  should  there  not  have  been  collusion, 

all  things  considered?    Captain  Floyd  Fairfax  was  a 

member  of  a  proud  and  once  wealthy  family  whose 

home  was  near  Leesburg  barely  a  dozen  miles  away. 

276 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  277 

He  had  devoted  friends  and  relations  at  Poolesville 
and  Heatherwood  and  Frederick,  many  of  whom  had 
visited  the  camp  and  vainly  besought  an  interview. 
Acting  under  orders  from  Secretary  Stanton,  the 
commanding  officer  sternly  refused.  Even  the 
gentle,  sorrowing  face  of  Madam  Heatherwood  had 
failed  to  overcome,  though  it  could  not  fail  to  move 
him.  He,  too,  knew  her  story,  and  was  gentleness 
and  courtesy  itself,  but  sadly  he  told  her  his  orders 
were  imperative.  jS^o  wonder  the  prisoner's  Southern 
relatives  could  be  permitted  speech  with  him  only 
on  the  written  order  of  the  War  Department.  Even 
that  brief  interview  nearly  cost  the  Union  major  his 
commission.  Secret  service  detectives,  eager  for  re- 
ward, commendation,  promotion  at  the  hands  of  the 
Iron  Secretary,  reported  that  the  officer  had  had  a 
long,  confidential,  and  almost  tearful  interview  with 
the  mistress  of  Heatherwood,  and  in  twenty-four 
hours  flashed  the  order  from  Washington  relieving 
him  from  duty  and  directing  the  detail  of  new 
guards  from  Clark's  jSTew  Hampshire  regiment,  with 
Colonel  Clark  himself  placed  in  charge.  There  at 
least,  said  Washington,  was  a  man  whose  character 
was  above  suspicion,  and  nothing  could  have  ex- 
ceeded the  care  with  which  Clark  stationed  and  in- 
structed his  men.  Vigilance  personified  were  the 
officers  and  non-commissioned  officers,  for  there  came 
hints  to  the  effect  that  the  friends  of  Fairfax  both  in 
Maryland  and  Virginia  would  make  concerted  effort 
to  effect  his  rescue  and  release,  and  the  guard  was 


278  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

none  too  large,  covering  as  it  had  to  do  all  the  space 
stretching  along  the  canal  from  the  east  of  Harper's 
Ferry  away  down  almost  to  the  mouth  of  Seneca 
Creek.  Of  infantry  there  was  only  one  brigade 
watching  the  fords,  bridges,  and  roads  and  guarding 
the  canal.  Clark  and  the  main  body  of  his  JSTew 
Hampshire  regiment  had  been  detained  at  Point  of 
liocks.  Belden's  Pennsylvania  squadrons  were  scat- 
tered along  the  Potomac  from  the  now  abandoned 
head-quarters  of  the  army  at  the  mouth  of  Pleasant 
Valley  away  up  to  where  Stuart  crossed  at  McCoy's 
Ferry,  and,  to  his  bitter  wrath  at  first,  old  Foul- 
weather  was  held  with  two  of  his  squadrons  at  the 
rear  of  the  long  column  instead  of  being  at  their 
front  where  longed  his  soul  to  be.  There  was  this 
compensation:  here  in  Maryland  he  was  his  own 
commanding  officer;  there  at  the  front  he  would 
have  to  serve  under  Bayard,  Pleasonton,  and  other 
cavalrymen  he  had  known  in  the  old  days,  and  he 
hated  to  serve  under  any  of  them.  There  was  this 
embarrassment,  too,  not  to  Foulweather,  but  to  his 
superiors :  it  left  him  and  Belden  together,  or  nearly 
together,  on  the  north  bank  of  the  Potomac,  and 
everybody  knew  by  this  time  that  the  bad  blood  be- 
tween them  had  thickened;  that  Foulweather  had 
called  at  Belden's  camp  and  said  unwarrantable 
things,  and  that  Belden,  disdaining  either  to  draw 
sword  upon  him  or  make  the  matter  official  by  pre- 
ferring charges,  had  simply  ordered  a  file  of  the 
guard  to  escort  the  raging  old  regular  outside  of  his 


THE  GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  279 

lines,  and,  though  foaming  with  wrath,  Foiilweather 
had  sense  enough  left  to  know  that  the  colonel  of 
volunteers  had  the  upper  hand, 

"If  those  two  meet  on  neutral  ground,"  said  the 
men  at  McClellan's  head-quarters,  "it  will  be  a  fight," 
and  good  old  John  Buford,  it  was  known,  looked 
with  keen  anxiety  to  the  result.  Belden's  orders 
were  to  scout  and  cover  from  the  mouth  of  the  Ca- 
toctin  to  the  west.  Foul  weather's  jurisdiction,  under 
the  orders  of  the  general  commanding  the  division, 
were  to  control  the  north  bank  of  the  Potomac  from 
the  Catoctin  to  Conrad's  Ferry,  with  authority  to 
cross  to  the  Virginia  side  should  occasion  require. 
And  this  made  possible  a  meeting  in  the  Catoctin 
Valley,  and  there  came  a  day  when  that  meeting 
was  inevitable. 

The  court  was  taking  a  recess  pending  the  produc- 
tion of  a  material  witness  for  the  prosecution.  Foul- 
weather  had  at  last  learned  that  the  battered  patient 
in  the  field-hospital  at  Heatherwood  was  really 
Trooper  Bell,  but  his  sanguinary  intentions  were 
modified  when  he  learned  from  Mcintosh  that  Bell 
had  accompanied  him  as  guide  only  with  evident 
reluctance,  and  had  managed  to  ride  away  ostensibly 
to  find  his  own  command  early  that  eventful  night 
when  they  were  scouting  for  Stuart.  All  the  same, 
he  meant  to  bring  that  "cocky"  young  swell  to  a 
strict  accounting  just  so  soon  as  he  should  be  de- 
clared convalescent  by  the  surgeon.  It  was  all  very 
well  that  Pennington  and  others  should  praise  his 


280  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

gallantry  and  devotion  the  day  of  the  fight.  "Who 
wouldn't  fight  under  such  circumstances?  But  as  to 
promotion  or  reward,  Trooper  Bell  would  have  to 
explain  some  very  suspicious  things  before  he,  Foul- 
weather,  would  consent  to  such  advancement.  What 
business  had  Bell  to  get  on  a  tear  the  moment  he 
began  to  recover,  and  at  the  time  his  evidence  might 
be  of  vital  importance  before  that  court.  Xo  man 
on  earth,  said  Foul  weather,  knew  more  about  that 
duplicate  Captain  Belden  than  did  Trooper  Bell,  and 
no  man  in  the  Union  army,  probably,  could  tell  more 
about  the  inner  workings  of  Heatherwood,  the  move- 
ments of  Fairfax,  than  that  same  trooper.  As  to  the 
fatal  bundle  of  farmer  clothing  dropped  in  the  Mo- 
nocacy,  Foulweather  was  ready  to  bet  his  last  dollar 
that  Bell  knew  all  about  it  and  could  be  forced  to 
tell.  With  feverish  eagerness  he  had  imparted  all 
his  suspicions  to  the  court,  and  with  eagerness  as 
fierce  he  awaited  Bell's  restoration. 

But  here  there  came  disappointment.  The  doc- 
tors declared  that  while  Bell's  wounds  and  injuries 
were  rapidly  healing,  his  mental  condition  was  a 
cause  of  deep  anxiety  and  perplexity.  He  seemed 
rapidly  regaining  bodily  strength,  but  was  clearly 
out  of  his  head.  "He's  shamming,"  said  Foul- 
weather,  when  he  rode  over  and  insisted  on  seeing 
for  himself.  "He  may  be,"  said  the  doctor,  "but  it's 
the  best  piece  of  acting  I've  ever  seen."  Foul- 
weather  was  for  having  Madam  Heatherwood  come 
and  talk  with  the  patient.    "She's  been  here  twice," 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  281 

said  the  doctor,  "and  he  doesn't  know  her  from  the 
Goddess  of  Liberty."  The  30th  of  October  came, 
and  the  doctor  reported  that  though  able  to  be  up 
and  moving  about,  his  patient  was  daft  and  utterly 
irresponsible;  but  the  next  day  came  an  order  from 
Washington  to  send  Trooper  Bell  under  safe-conduct 
to  Point  of  Rocks,  that  the  court  might  judge  of  his 
sanity. 

An  ambulance  was  provided,  so  was  the  escort, — 
Foulweather  gladly  furnished  that, — and  the  entire 
"outfit"  marched  away  with  the  dazed  and  muttering 
occupant  of  the  vehicle,  only  to  learn  on  reaching 
camp  at  Point  of  Rocks  that  the  ride  was  useless 
after  all.  The  court  could  not  meet  because  the 
accused  was  gone. 

And  how  on  earth  to  account  for  that  escape  was 
the  question  agitating  every  man  from  the  com- 
manding officer  down  to  the  drum-boys.  Clark  had 
been  summoned  to  Harper's  Ferry  by  the  general 
commanding  the  Twelfth  Corps,  and  went  the  even- 
ing of  the  31st,  leaving  his  lieutenant-colonel  in 
command  of  camp.  The  night  was  bustling.  Troops 
were  still  crossing  on  the  pontoons  up-stream.  There 
was  a  good  deal  of  stir  and  movement.  A  light  bat- 
tery that  had  been  parked  within  two  hundred  yards 
of  the  house  in  which  Fairfax  was  confined  had 
orders  to  march  at  dawn  for  Leesburg,  and  the  men 
were  up  grooming  and  feeding  as  early  as  four 
o'clock.  A  thick  fog  was  creeping  up  the  valley, 
and  camp  was  shrouded  in  the  misty  veil,  as  the  re- 
veille was  soundinci:. 


282  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

The  guard  fell  shivering  into  ranks  to  receive 
the  officer  of  the  day,  and  that  gentleman,  lantern  in 
hand,  strode  into  the  narrow  hall-waj,  followed  by 
the  lieutenant  in  command  of  the  guard,  who  un- 
locked the  door  of  the  first  room  to  the  right  and 
bade  his  superior  enter  and  see  for  himself,  for  Clark 
had  ordered  that  every  time  the  officer  of  the  day 
visited  his  guard  he  should  enter  and  assure  himself 
of  the  presence  of  the  prisoner.  At  one  a.m.  the  offi- 
cer had  found  him  in  bed,  slumbering  peacefully. 
At  5.30  the  fact  that  the  position  of  the  sleeper  was 
apparently  unchanged  made  both  officers  suspicious, 
and  they  made  instant  and  closer  examination. 
Dressed  in  a  white  night-shirt  lay  one  of  the  pillows. 
The  blankets  were  skilfully  arranged  and  drawn  up 
to  look  as  though  a  human  form  lay  beneath.  By 
the  bedside  lay  the  shoes  Fairfax  had  worn  when 
captured,  also  a  pair  of  socks.  Folded  on  a  chair 
near  the  head  of  the  bed  were  the  gray  trousers 
(Ralph's).  Hanging  on  the  back  of  the  chair  ^vas  the 
gray  uniform  coat,  also  Ralph's,  and  a  handsome 
drab  felt  hat,  heavily  plumed,  stood  on  the  table 
near  at  hand.  All  the  garments,  all  the  belongings 
of  the  prisoner,  apparently,  were  undisturbed,  but 
where  was  he?  There  was  no  trap  through  which 
he  could  have  gone.  There  was  but  one  window, 
and  that  was  cross-barred  outside,  and  the  bars 
tightly  screwed  to  the  wood-work.  Only  through 
that  or  the  door  could  he  have  gone,  but  the  window 
bars  were  still  snugly  screwed.     While  one  officer 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  283 

rail  out  to  notify  the  guard  and  alarm  the  camp,  the 
other  stopped  to  study  the  situation,  and  he  found 
only  one  significant  circumstance,  that  the  dust  had 
been  brushed  away  from  the  window  and  window- 
seat.  The  shade,  a  cheajo  green  paper  affair,  was  un- 
rolled from  the  top  so  as  to  cover  the  entire  window 
and  exclude  light  from  without  and  prevent  parties 
without  from  peering  inquisitively  within.  He  re- 
called that  the  prisoner,  though  accepting  uncom- 
plainingly the  hardships  of  his  lot,  and  asking  no 
favors  of  anybody,  had  courteously  thanked  Colonel 
Clark  when  that  officer  called  upon  him  the  previous 
week,  and,  in  answer  to  the  question  as  to  whether 
there  were  not  something  he  could  do,  without  vio- 
lating orders,  that  would  add  to  the  comfort  of  his 
prisoner,  had  said  that  he  would  like  a  shade  to  the 
window  at  night,  as  the  men  occasionally  came  and 
stared  in  at  him  as  he  sat  reading  or  writing  by  the 
light  of  his  solitary'  candle.  It  wasn't  much  to  ask, 
and  Clark  gave  directions  accordingly. 

The  house  itself  was  a  little,  old-fashioned,  two- 
story  affair,  with  a  hall  in  the  middle  and  four  rooms 
of  nearly  equal  size  on  the  ground  floor.  The  pris- 
oner occupied  the  back  room  on  the  north  side.  It  was 
lighted  by  this  one  window  at  the  back,  was  entered 
from  the  hall,  and  the  old  door-way  communicating 
with  the  front  room  had  been  bricked  up.  There 
was  a  fireplace  and  chimney  in  the  north  wall,  but 
nothing  bigger  than  a  cat  could  squeeze  up  the  chim- 
ney.   There  was  a  sentry  in  the  hall  night  and  day, 


284        THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

another  on  the  porch  in  front,  another  in  the  little 
yard  in  rear,  which  was  reached  by  a  narrow  passage 
on  the  north  side  of  the  house,  so  narrow  that  it  was 
possible  for  soldiers  sitting  in  the  side  window  of  the 
upper  story  to  prod  with  their  bayonets  the  walls  of 
the  adjoining  premises.  The  back  yard  opened  into 
a  narrow  alley  at  the  rear  some  twenty  paces  from 
the  remains  of  the  wooden  kitchen  that  was  tacked 
to  the  house  before  federal  occupancy  thereof,  and 
other  back  yards  were  adjoining,  but  tents  were 
pitched  in  all  of  them,  for  here  had  been  the  station 
of  the  provost-marshal's  guard  up  to  the  time  the 
army  marched  away.  Soldier  culprits  by  the  dozens, 
stragglers,  and  mild  malefactors  had  been  corralled 
in  these  tents,  while  men  accused  of  more  severe 
offences,  deserters  or  men  accused  of  sleeping  on  post, 
had  been^  imprisoned  in  the  house  itself.  If  Fairfax 
made  his  exit  through  the  door  and  hall,  he  had  to 
pass  tv/o  sentries  and  the  main  body  of  the  guard. 
If  he  escaped  by  that  barred  window,  three  at  least 
of  the  iron  slats  must  have  been  removed,  then  re- 
placed, and  all  the  time  a  sentry  stood  or  walked 
within  six  feet  of  that  window  unless  bribed  or 
drugged  to  insensibility. 

It  seemed  no  time  at  all  before  half  the  officers  on 
duty  at  the  spot  came  hurrying  to  the  post  of  the 
guard.  Every  man  of  the  four  companies  of  the 
infantry  provost  party  was  under  arms  at  reveille, 
and  within  ten  minutes  searching  parties  were  rum- 
maging through  the  yards  and  houses  in  the  village 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  285 

streets.  Orderlies  were  sent  for  Major  Foulweatlier, 
and  that  fiery  old  dragoon  came  galloping  np  the 
Earnesville  road  in  less  than  half  an  hour,  his  squad- 
ron following  half  a  mile  behind,  and  under  his  ener- 
getic leadership  despatches  were  sent  or  signalled  to 
every  neighboring  camp.  The  officers  of  the  court, 
many  of  them  of  high  rank,  kept  back  from  their 
regiments  until  the  case  should  be  concluded,  were 
among  those  aroused,  and  their  grave  faces  showed 
liow  seri'ous  a  matter  they  regarded  it.  "I  should 
hate  to  be  the  officer  to  have  to  break  this  news  to 
Stanton,"  said  the  president;  but  Toulweather 
seemed  to  share  no  such  dread.  So  long  as  none  of 
his  command  could  be  blamed,  he  did  not  mind. 
Almost  the  first  thing  he  did  was  to  send  a  despatch 
to  the  War  Department  at  Washington  to  this 
effect : 

"The  spy,  Fairfax,  escaped  from  charge  of  the  in- 
fantry guard  some  time  between  midnight  and  re- 
veille. If  given  immediate  authority,  I  believe  I 
can  recapture  him  with  my  command.  Some  of  his 
haunts  are  known  to  me." 

And  while  awaiting  answer,  Foulweatlier  saw  that 
men  and  horses  both  had  substantial  breakfast,  and 
then  ransacked  his  luggage  to  find  that  letter  of 
Bayard's  aide-de-camp,  and  once  more  read  the 
words : 

"There  is  a  place  in  the  Catoctin  Valley,  not  two 
miles  from  the  river,  where  they  say  Fairfax  has 
twice  been  in  hiding.     It  is  owned  by  a  Mr.  Hunt, 


286  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

who  is  away  in  the  army,  and  is  cared  for  by  his 
sister  and  some  servants."  Again  he  went  over  the 
description:  "An  old  two-story  stone  house  among 
a  lot  of  rose-bushes  and  trees  about  twenty  yards 
back  from  the  road;  chimneys  at  each  gable  end, 
built  out  like  buttresses."  I^ot  a  soul  would  he  tell 
of  this  knowledge.  It  was  too  precious.  By  nine 
o'clock,  to  his  huge  delight,  the  Xew  Hampshire 
men  declared  that  they  had  searched  every  "scrap" 
of  the  neighborhood  and  could  not  find  hide  or  hair 
of  Fairfax.  He  prayed  they  might  have  no  better 
luck  throughout  the  livelong  day.  He  waited  with 
eagerness  unspeakable  the  coming  of  the  answer  to 
his  despatch,  giving  him,  as  he  jDrayed,  authority  for 
independent  action,  and  then,  without  a  hint  to  a 
soul  of  where  he  was  going,  he  would  strike  for  the 
Catoctin.  It  would  go  hard  with  him  if  he  did  not 
find  the  Hunt  place  and  Fairfax  with  it.  It  would 
go  hard  with  Fairfax  if  he  did. 

And  just  at  ten  o'clock,  to  his  almost  mad  delight, 
just  as  he  was  reading  an  order  from  the  division 
commander  directing  him  to  search  the  river  towards 
Conrad's  Ferry,  there  came  a  wire  from  Washington 
that  superseded  any  orders  any  general  might  give 
him,  for  it  bore  the  august  mandate  of  the  Secretary 
of  War: 

"You  are  authorized  and  directed  to  take  such 
steps  as  in  your  judgment  may  enable  you  to  recap- 
ture the  rebel  spy  Fairfax  without  delay,  using  your 
entire  command  if  need  be.     ^Notification  sent  to 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  287 

commanding  general  at  Harper's  Ferrv  and  to  com- 
manding officer  at  Knoxville." 

"Sound  the  mount,  trumpeter,"  he  shouted,  glee- 
fully, as,  booted  and  spurred,  he  sprang  into  saddle. 
"Bring  the  command  straight  to  head-quarters, 
Treacj,"  he  called  to  his  wondering  second.  "I've 
got  to  show  my  orders  to  the  general." 

And  so  it  happened  that  valuable  hours  of  that 
vital  day  were  spent  by  a  fuming  old  dragoon  mth 
some  long-suffering  troopers  at  his  back  raiding  the 
lovely  Virginia  valley  for  an  old  stone  house  owned 
by  a  Mr.  Hunt  some  two  miles  from  the  river,  em- 
bowered in  roses  and  trees  and  other  rural  attrac- 
tions, a  house  that  all  this  time  was  in  the  hands  of 
Colonel  Belden's  Keystone  troopers  in  the  valley  of 
similar  name  on  the  Maryland  side,  which  fact  Major 
Foulweather  learned  only  after  he  had  well-nigh  ex- 
hausted his  vocabulary  of  expletives,  and  as  a  last 
resort  could  only  bethink  him  of  Heatherwood. 

1^0  wonder  he  was  in  the  worst  of  humors  when 
he  got  there.  ]^o  wonder  there  was  trouble  in  store 
for  all  who  held  it  dear. 


CHAPTER   XX. 

In  the  scattered  cavalry  commands  of  tlie  Armv 
of  the  Potomac  everybody  seemed  to  have  heard  of 
the  hot  altercation  between  Belden  and  Foulweather 
and  of  the  latter's  discomfiture.  As  has  been  said, 
there  was  anxiety  in  the  minds  of  many  a  good  sol- 
dier, especially  in  that  of  noble  old  John  Bnford, 
still  serving  in  his  capacity  as  chief  of  cavalry,  lest 
they  should  meet  again,  for  Foulweather's  threats 
had  been  heard  far  and  wide. 

Eager  to  overtake  the  fugitive  Virginian,  the  im- 
petuous old  trooper  had  never  thought  to  inquire 
about  any  Hunt  place  in  the  valley  of  the  Maryland 
Catoctin,  and  had  searched  the  Loudoun  County 
"Kittoctan"  only  to  meet  discomfiture, — to  learn 
that  the  Hunt  place  was  on  the  Maryland  side  and, 
before  heading  for  Heatherwood,  that  Belden's  men 
were  in  actual  possession  of  the  haunt  he  supposed 
Belden  knew  nothing  about;  furthermore,  that  they 
had  been  in  possession  for  several  days,  a  squadron 
camping  in  the  dreary,  leafless  orchard.  It  w^as  then 
that  Foulweather  bethought  himself  of  Heatherwood. 
"Whether  he  found  Fairfax  or  no,  he  might  find  some- 
tliing  and  could  make  his  order  from  the  War  De- 
partment an  excuse,  even  an  authorization,  to  search 

the  once  beautiful  old  mansion  from  cellar  to  garret. 
288 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  289 

The  little  detachment  of  infantry  volunteers  on 
duty  as  guards  had,  of  course,  no  obstacle  to  oppose 
to  the  actions  of  a  field-officer  of  regular  cavalry  with 
a  whole  platoon  at  his  back,  and,  indeed,  in  some 
individual  cases  had  to  scurry  out  of  the  way  in  un- 
dignified haste  to  avoid  being  trampled  under  the 
heels  of  the  horses.  These — the  volunteers — stood 
there  now  sullen  and  scowling  at  the  weary  but  im- 
passive faces  of  the  troopers,  who  had  dismounted 
and  were  silently  awaiting  the  further  orders  of  their 
officers.  The  latter  by  this  time,  accompanied  by  a 
corporal  and  two  men,  had  been  swallowed  up  in  the 
broad  hall-way,  where  a  one-sided  controversy  was 
going  on  between  the  burly  old  major  of  regulars 
and  the  somewhat  inexperienced  lieutenant  of  vol- 
unteers, the  officer  of  the  guard.  The  junior  was 
young  but  plucky.  J^o  such  person  as  the  major 
referred  to  could  possibly  be  there  without  his  knowl- 
edge, said  he,  and  he  objected  to  the  search,  but  he 
was  silenced  by  Foulweather's  disdainful  production 
of  the  Stanton  telegram.  "Come  on!"  said  the  ma- 
jor, shortly,  to  his  tall,  lath-like  adjutant,  and  the 
heavy  spurred  boots  began  the  ascent  of  the  stairs. 
Already  the  evening  shadows  were  falling  without, 
and  the  hall  was  nearly  dark.  Foulweather  stum- 
bled at  the  landing  and  swore  characteristically. 
Yet  even  in  his  vengeful  mood  he  suddenly  halted 
within  a  step  or  two  of  the  top,  for  there,  dim  and 
shadowy,  but  in  her  gentle  dignity  commanding  his 
respect,  stood  the  revered  mistress  of  Heatherwood, 

19 


290  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

and  though  her  voice  was  low  and  almost  pleading  as 
she  spoke,  she  none  the  less  seemed  to  confront  the 
intruders,  and  bid  them  pause. 

"Pardon  me,  gentlemen,"  were  her  first  words.  "I 
possibly  did  not  understand  the  message  brought  me 
by  my  servant,  or  she  misunderstood  you,  but  my 
daughter  has  been  very  ill,  and  I  know  that  you 
would  not  wish  to  disturb  her.  What  is  this  about 
Captain  Fairfax  r' 

"Captain  Fairfax,  ma'am,  escaped  from  prison  at 
Point  of  Rocks  this  morning  and  is  somewhere  in 
hiding  in  this  neighborhood.  I  am  ordered  by  the 
Secretary  of  War  himself  to  make  strict  search  and 
leave  no  stone  unturned  to  find  him." 

"Captain  Fairfax  was  here,  as  you  have  doubtless 
heard,  sir,  and  refused  to  go  when  his  comrades  of 
the  First  Virginia  came  with  a  horse  for  him.  Since 
the  night  Colonel  Clark  took  him  away  under  guard 
to  Point  of  Rocks  he  has  never  set  foot  on  this 
place." 

"He  may  be  here  now  without  your  knowledge, 
ma'am,"  said  Foulweather,  indomitably,  "and  I 
thought  it  civil  to  tell  you  what  my  orders  were. 
Search  we  must,  and  at  once.  I  will  send  the  other 
men  through  the  cellar  and  first  floor.  Only  these 
you  see  with  me  will  be  allowed  to  come  higher. 
Corporal  Dixon,  put  Devlin  at  that  landing  with 
orders  to  let  no  one  come  up  until  I  tell  you."  And 
with  that  the  blunt  soldier  would  have  resumed  the 
ascent,  but  her  white  hand  upraised  and  the  suffering 


THE  GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  291 

in  the  jiale  and  jDatient  face  again  compelled  his  re- 
spect. Rapid  footsteps  were  heard  on  the  rear  stair- 
way, too,  and,  flnshed  and  panting  a  trifle,  Laura 
came  hurrying  along  the  hall,  and  in  silent  defiance 
took  her  place  by  the  side  of  her  beloved  aunt. 

"Go  down,  Mr.  Wilson/'  -said  Foul  weather, 
sternly,  to  his  tall  staff-officer,  "fin'd  that  rear  stair- 
way at  once,  and  put  a  sentry  there  with  orders  to 
let  no  one  either  up  or  down.  Then  join  me  again 
here." 

Down  went  AYilsori;,  none  too  briskly.  Police 
duty  with  Foulweather  was  anything  but  to  his 
liking. 

"One  'moment,  sir,"  the  gentle  voice  went  on,  as 
the  sound  of  the  adjutant's  footsteps  eeased  at  the 
portico  without.  "If  your  search  ■must  be  made,  I 
pray  that  you  begin  below.  Then  I  may  have  time 
to  prepare  my  child  for  your  coming  up  here.  It 
will  take  but  a  few  minutes.  We  will  offer  no  ob- 
jection, and  resistance  is  of  course  impossible." 

There  was  good  in  the  old  war-horse,  after  all. 
Surly,  exasperated,  bitterly  disappointed -as  he  was, 
the  major  felt  liis  resolution  ebbing  at  the  sound  of 
that  sorrowing  |ilea.  For  a  moment  he  hung  there 
irresolute,  then  raising  his  battered  forage-cap,  he 
said,  "I  wish  I  hadn't  to  disturb  you  at  all,  ma'am, 
but  we'll  begin  below  anyhow."  And  turning,  he 
actually  tiptoed  down  the  stairs,  a  thing  he  probably 
never  was  known  to  do  before  in  his  life. 

Five  minutes  later  a  dozen  troopers,  under  his 


292  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

orders,  were  ransacking  with  lighted  candles  in  the 
cellar,  store-rooms,  and  kitchen,  and  one  of  them 
proved  an  expert.  In  a  little  chamber  off  the  hall- 
way, and  near  the  kitchen  door  and  back  stairway, 
he  had  made  a  discovery.  The  brick  chimney  that 
passed  np  from  the  cellar  throngh  this  room  was 
fully  five  feet  wide  just  above  the  mantel  and  fire- 
place, yet  the  fireplace  was  small,  one  of  those  tiny 
niches  apparently  made  for  use  in  connection  with 
what  was  called  a  Franklin  stove.  The  stove  was 
gone,  and  as  Trooper  Feeney  poked  his  candle  up  the 
dark  and  narrow  chimney  and  peered  after  it,  he 
began  tapping  with  the  butt  of  his  revolver  at  the 
brick-work.  Presently  he  popped  out,  a  bit  grimy, 
but  full  of  importance.  "There's  a  holler  in  there 
of  some  kind,"  said  he,  "and  I  think  this  boarding 
by  the  fireplace  opens."  Already  he  Avas  eagerly 
tapping  at  that  and  looking  for  concealed  flap.  "I've 
got  it,"  he  suddenly  cried.  "Give  me  a  big  knife, 
or  a  sabre."  Only  a  little  prying  was  necessary.  A 
whole  panel  slipped  easily  out  of  its  place,  and,  sure 
enough,  there  was  a  recess,  and  the  first  thing  visible 
therein  was  a  chamois  sabre  case,  standing  upright 
in  the  corner,  and  a  sole-leather  valise.  In  a  mo- 
ment these  were  slung  to  the  bedstead;  a  sword  blade 
forced  the  lock  of  the  latter  while  eager  hands  drew 
from  the  chamois  case  an  almost  brand  new  cavalry 
sabre  of  the  finest  make,  an  officer's,  while,  one  by 
one,  the  contents  of  the  valise  proved  to  be  a  hand- 
some new  uniform  coat  with  the  shoulder-straps  of  a 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  293 

captain  of  cavalry,  a  pair  of  light-blue  trousers  with 
the  narrow  yellow  welt  on  the  outer  seam,  as  worn 
then  by  ofhcers  of  the  Union  horse,  a  rich  crimson 
sash,  a  new  sword  belt,  a  forage-cap  of  fine  quality, 
with  the  crossed  sabres  of  the  - — tli  cavalry  in  front, 
rich  gilt  spurs,  handsome  gauntlets,  a  small  cavalry 
saddle-cloth,  a  binocular  field-glass,  with  some  white 
shirts,  collars,  gloves,  etc.,  and  a  change  of  under- 
wear; these  completed  the  outfit.  The  valise  was 
marked,  in  painted  black  letters  on  both  ends,  "J.  L., 
IsTew  York  City."  The  letters  J.  L.  were  em- 
broidered on  the  shirt,  and  the  collars  bore  the  letters 
in  indelible  ink. 

Wonder,  perplexity,  and  excitement  were  in  old 
Foulweather's  face  as  he  carefully  searched  the 
pockets  of  the  uniform  for  further  clue,  while 
Feeney  prodded  for  more  treasures  in  the  great  re- 
cess, but  the  search  of  both  was  fruitless.  The 
pockets  were  empty;  the  watch  pocket  below  the 
waistband  of  the  trousers,  on  which  tailors  ordinarily 
write  the  name  and  address  of  their  customers,  had 
been  carefully  snipped  off,  apparently  with  scissors. 
The  buttons  of  the  trousers  and  a  little  silken  slip 
inside  the  collar  of  the  coat  gave  the  name  of  a  prom- 
inent military  tailor  of  Gotham  as  the  maker.  The 
cap  bore  the  stamp  of  AVarnock,  at  that  time  a  lead- 
ing dealer  in  military  supplies.  The  case  of  the 
sabre  and  the  boxes  of  the  sash  and  belt  showed  that 
these  articles  were  bought  of  Tiffany,  who  during 
the  war  added  such  items  to  the  usual  stock  of  gems 


294        THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

and  silverware,  but  tlie  owner's  name  could  only  be 
guessed  at  from  the  initials  on  the  valise.  There 
was  no-  waistcoat  and  there  were  no  suspender-but- 
tons on  the  band  of  the  trousers,  and  these  to  Foul- 
weather  made  valuable  evidence.  "That's  the  way 
those  damned  West  Pointers  dress,"  growled  he  to 
himself,  in  growing  excitement. 

Full  of  his  discovery,  he  again  ascended  the  stairs 
and  sought  brief  interview  with  the  mistress  of 
Heatherwood.  From  her  daughter's  room  she  came 
to  the  head  of  the  stairs,  patient  and  gentle  as  ever, 
while  Laura,  standing  protectingly  behind  her, 
looked  daggers  at  the  blunt-sj^oken  soldier  in  the 
despised  Union  blue.  It  was  easy  to  see  that  Foul- 
weather's  surprise  at  the  treasure  trove  was  slight 
compared  to  that  of  Mrs.  Fleatherwood's.  She  was 
astonished. 

"Certainly  no  officer  of  the  Union  army  has  been 
an  inmate  of  my  house,  nor  do  I  know  how  to  ac- 
count for  the  presence  of  these  articles,"  was  all  that 
she  would  say;  and  when  Foulweather,  still  full  of 
suspicion  as  to  Belden,  would  have  cross-questioned 
her,  she  gently  but  firmly  repeated  what  she  had  said 
before,  that  she  had  never  met  or  known  an  officer 
of  that  name.  As  to  Foulweather's  declaration  that 
he  must  take  these  treasures  with  him  to  the  provost- 
marshal,  Mrs.  Heatherwood  had  no  objection  to 
make.  She  had  known,  she  said,  of  the  niche  or 
recess  in  the  brick-work  ever  since  her  honeymoon. 
She  told  him  of  others,  but  they  contained  nothing 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  295 

unusual  or  susjDicious.  ''And  now,"  said  she,  "if 
the  major  is  still  determined  to  search  the  upper 
story  and  garret,  he  can  do  so."  And  Foulweather, 
in  a  shamefaced,  hurried,  and  perfunctory  way, 
made  a  visit,  yet  barely  glanced  through  the  open 
rooms.  An  old  suspicion  had  been  rekindled  in 
his  breast.  He  was  becoming  with  every  mo- 
ment more  eager  to  return  to  Point  of  Rocks,  and 
within  an  hour  of  his  arrival  he  rode  away  at  the 
head  of  his  men,  leaving  behind  a  thankful  and  re- 
lieved household,  for  in  Belle's  own  sanctuary,  hid- 
den in  the  depths  of  one  of  her  trunks,  was  a  flat  tin 
case,  tightly  strapped,  that  she  had  been  charged  to 
hide  where  none  could  reach  it,  and  the  owner  once 
more  lay  in  the  little  field-hospital  down  under  the 
westward  blulfs. 

It  was  late  in  the  evening  when  Foulweather's 
tired  troopers  reached  their  camp,  and,  after  groom- 
ing, watering,  and  feeding  their  dust-covered 
chargers,  were  permitted  to  attend  to  their  own  ab- 
lutions, get  supper,  and  then  roll  into  their  blankets, 
but  there  was  no  rest  for  their  raging  major.  Stop- 
ping only  long  enough  to  get  a  fresh  horse  and  a 
drink,  he  rode  on  to  Point  of  Rocks,  followed  by  a 
brace  of  orderlies,  one  of  whom  bore  all  the  way  on 
the  pommel  the  sole-leather  valise  ravished  from 
Heatherwood,  while  the  other  carried  the  sabre. 
The  provost-marshal  had  turned  in,  but  turned  out 
again  at  sound  of  Foulweather's  rasping  voice. 

''Well,  what  news  of  Fairfax?"  was  the  immediate 


296  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

question,  as  he  stumbled  down  the  little  flight  of 
wooden  steps  in  front  of  his  quarters. 

"Damn  Fairfax!  He  has  more  hiding  holes  than 
a  prairie  dog.  But  I've  got  something  to  pay  for 
our  chase." 

"Damn  that!"  as  politely  replied  the  provost-mar- 
shall.  "Here's  the  War  Department  wiring  me  all 
day  long  every  few  hours  to  know  what  you  had 
accomplished,  and  where  you'd  gone.  Thank  God 
they  sent  Clark  to  take  charge  of  the  guard  here,  or 
I'd  have  been  on  the  way  to  Fort  Lafayette.  He 
isn't,  though.  He's  got  one  of  the  sentries  behind 
the  bars  already.  They  say  the  fellow  was  bought 
out, — that  Leesburg  and  Frederick  contributed  over 
a  thousand  dollars  to  bribe  this  very  man.  We 
couldn't  keep  a  thousand  men  under  lock  and  key 
to  prevent  their  being  approached.  It's  plain  that 
those  bars  were  unscrewed,  probably  between  three 
and  four  o'clock  this  morning,  and  then  as  deliber- 
ately screwed  in  again  by  somebody  while  somebody 
else  spirited  the  prisoner  away  through  that  back 
alley  and  across  the  Potomac.  Think  of  rebel  sympa- 
thizers among  our  men!" 

"Think  of  'em  among  our  officers,  by  God!"  was 
Foulweather's  fierce  rejoinder.  "Look  at  this  outfit 
that  Ave  gobbled  at  Heatherwood,  and  then  promise 
you'll  take  a  ride  with  me  in  the  morning." 

The  ofiicial  had  no  objection  to  looking  over  the 
outfit,  whatever  doubts  he  might  entertain  as  to  the 
propriety    of    his    riding    forth    with    Foulweather. 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  297 

Valise  and  sabre  were  borne  into  his  shabby  quarters, 
and  great  was  his  surprise  and  curiosity  when  he 
learned  where  and  how  the  articles  had  been  dis- 
covered. Then  Foulweather  insisted  on  the  provost- 
marshal's  promise  to  ride  with  him  "not  farther 
than  Knoxville"  in  the  morning.  The  mai'shal 
scented  mischief,  and  would  only  agree  to  consider 
it,  and  before  the  major  could  resume  his  entreaties 
heavy  footsteps  came  quickly  up  the  little  porch  and 
into  the  hall,  and,  with  gloom  in  his  eyes,  there  stood 
Colonel  Clark.  He  had  never  fancied  Foulweather, 
and  it  stung  him  to  meet  him  in  this  hour  of  his  hu- 
miliation and  distress.  Clark  had  keen  wits.  He 
well  understood  that  the  "regular"  rather  delighted 
in  the  misfortune  that  had  befallen  the  ISTew  Hamp- 
shire regiment,  and  his  greeting  was  cold  and  formal. 
Quick  as  his  clumsy  hands  could  do  the  work,  the 
major  had  thrust  everything  into  the  valise  again  as 
he  heard  the  coming  footsteps,  and  his  back,  bend- 
ing over  the  task,  was  towards  the  colonel  as  he 
entered  the  dimly  lighted  room.  Foulweather 
seemed  actually  embarrassed,  an  unusual  thing  for 
him. 

But  Clark  barely  glanced  at  the  valise.  As  for 
the  sabre,  except  that  it  was  new  and  bright,  there 
was  nothing  uncommon  in  the  sight.  "I  heard  you 
were  here,  sir,"  said  he,  very  quietly.  "I  fear  you 
have  not  met  with  success." 

"Well,  rather,"  was  the  half-taunting  reply. 
"Your  bird  had  too  many  hours  the  start.      How 


298  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

many  of  your  men  were  mixed  up  in  the  consj)iracy, 
do  you  suppose?" 

"That  remains  to  be  seen,"  said  the  colonel, 
calmly.  He  well  knew  how  aggravating  it  would 
be  to  Foulweather  if  he  showed  no  sign  of  chagrin. 
''We  are  fortunate  in  so  early  discovering  the  cul- 
prit,— a  fellow  whose  captain  and  comrades  have  sus- 
pected of  rascality  more  than  once  before,  and  as  he 
has  been  to  Frederick  twice  in  ten  days,  and  been 
seen  in  conversation  with  prominent  sympathizers, 
he  was  pounced  on  as  the  defaulting  sentry.  The 
wonder  is  that  he  did  not  desert  at  once  and  try  to  get 
away.  Probably  he  thought  the  chance  would  be 
better  later  on.  Possibly  he  couldn't  get  all  the 
money  promised  him.  Five  hundred  dollars  was 
paid  him,  and  it  was  found  to-day  hidden  under  a 
brick  in  the  old  walk  close  to  his  post.  He  dared 
not  have  it  about  him,  of  course,  and  had  hid  it 
there  for  the  time  being.  I've  no  doubt  the  thing 
has  been  planned  a  week  at  least,  and  that  Fairfax 
is  far  over  in  Virginia  beyond  Aldie  by  this  time. 
Sentries  on  the  railway  say  they  heard  the  muffled 
sound  of  oars  about  four  o'clock,  dying  away  towards 
the  other  bank,  but  it  was  too  dark  to  see  anything. 
My  regret  is  that  you  could  not  have  started  earlier. 
You  would  have  stood  more  chance  of  recapturing 
him." 

But  Foulweather  would  not  be  mollified  by  cour- 
teous words.  He  knew  Clark  did  not  like  him. 
He  knew  that  he  did  not  like  Clark.     It  was  high 


THE  GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  299 

time  now  to  be  getting  back  to  camp.  He  had  meant 
to  leave  the  valise  and  sabre  in  possession  of  the 
IDrovost-marshal  until  morning,  but  Clark  might  be- 
come curious  as  to  what  the  valise  contained.  "I'll 
write  a  couple  of  despatches,  if  you  please,  major," 
said  he  to  the  official,  "then  go  back  to  camp."  So 
saying  and  stepping  to  the  door,  he  called  to  his  men, 
"Come  in  here,  one  of  you,  and  get  these  things," 
whereat  spurred  boots  clicked  their  way  across  the 
rude  sidewalk  in  front  and  up  the  steps,  and  just  as 
the  soldier  entered  the  provost-marshal  placed  a 
candle  on  the  table.  Its  light  fell  full  on  the  end  of 
the  valise,  on  the  painted  letters,  "J.  L.,  New  York 
City,"  and  as  the  trooper  stretched  forth  his  hand 
the  voice  of  Colonel  Clark  was  heard,  sharp  and 
commanding : 

"Stop  one  moment.  Don't  take  that.  Why, 
Major  Foulweather,  I  know  that  valise.  How  on 
earth  came  it  here?" 

"Oh,  I  suppose  you  could  have  seen  it  any  day  at 
Heatherwood,  if  that's  what  you  mean,"  said  Foul- 
weather,  indifferently.  "That's  where  I  found  it 
this  evening, — and  its  precious  contents.  The  man 
that  owns  them  things  has  an  explanation  to  make  to 
me  to-morrow." 

"You  got  that  at  Heatherwood,  Major  Foul- 
weather?  Why,  sir,  the  last  time  I  saw  it  was  at 
Monadnock,  my  home  in  New  Hampshire,  and  its 
owner  was  killed  at  first  Bull  Run." 


CHAPTER   XXI. 

Grave  changes  came  in  the  Army  of  the  Potomac 
within  the  next  few  days.  McClellan,  relieved  from 
command,  was  succeeded  by  Biirnside.  Clark  and 
his  Xew  Hampshire  men  pushed  on  to  the  front,  bri- 
gaded with  other  new  and  big  regiments.  The  court 
for  the  trial  of  Captain  Fairfax  was  broken  up  and 
ordered  to  rejoin  the  corps  or  regiments  of  the  re- 
spective members,  their  deliberations  being  done 
with,  thanks  to  the  unfeeling  conduct  of  the  accused, 
who  had  succeeded,  so  said  jubilant  Southern  women 
at  Leesburg  and  Frederick,  by  long  and  devious 
route,  in  rejoining  his  comrades.  Every  member 
was  made  to  feel  in  some  indefinable  way  that  the 
Iron  Secretary  considered  that  altogether  too  much 
time  had  been  consumed;  that  they  should  have  sat 
without  regard  to  hours,  in  fact  without  regard  to 
orders,  and  that  proper  attention  to  duty  on  their 
part  would  have  resulted  days  before  in  the  convic- 
tion of  the  rash  Virginian  and  his  summary  execu- 
tion as  a  spy.  Stanton's  heart  was  hot  within  him 
over  the  daring  raid  of  Stuart,  followed  so  speedily 
by  this  most  unaccountable  escape  of  one  of  his  most 
prominent  and  distinguished  officers,  captured 
within  our  lines  unquestionably  in  the  capacity  of  a 
spy.  As  it  was,  he  held,  or  seemed  to  hold,  that  the 
300 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  301 

court  had  allowed  Fairfax  to  escape  as  easily  as 
Stuart  got  away,  and  that  was  a  matter  that  rankled, 
and  no  wonder,  in  more  breasts  than  one  at  the 
AVar  Department.  Gloom  and  depression  reigned 
in  Washington.  Other  distinguished  generals  had 
been  relieved  from  command,  and  some  of  them 
ordered  to  be  tried  for  no  less  an  offence  than  mis- 
behavior in  the  face  of  the  enemy.  Lee  and  the 
Southern  hosts  were  falling  back,  to  be  sure,  but 
only  to  the  old  line  of  the  Rappahannock,  where 
they  were  thoroughly  at  home,  and  could  make 
things  lively  for  their  opponents  with  small  loss  or 
trouble  to  themselves.  A  new  general  was  charged 
with  the  defence  of  the  line  of  the  Potomac  and  the 
Baltimore  and  Ohio  road.  Belden's  fine  regiment 
of  Pennsylvania  cavalry  went  on  to  report  to  one 
brigade,  while  Foulweather,  still  an  unappreciated 
major  of  regular  horse,  received,  with  disgust  un- 
speakable, the  order  to  rejoin  the  little  band  of  vete- 
ran troopers  of  the  old  army,  and  his  days  of  inde- 
pendent action  were  done  with.  But  one  of  his  men 
still  lingered  behind,  apparently  wounded  in  mind 
as  well  as  body,  and  that  was  Trooper  Bell. 

But  meantime,  several  things  had  happened  north 
of  the  Potomac  of  more  immediate  consequence  to 
those  whose  fortunes  or  misfortunes  we  have  been 
following.  First,  that  inevitable  meeting  between 
Belden  and  Foulweather  occurred  just  as  every  man 
said  he  knew  it  would,  and  but  for  Clark's  foresight 
and  prompt  action  worse  consequences  might  have 


302  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

ensued.  Early  in  the  morning  following  the  escape 
of  Fairfax,  the  grizzled  major  galloped  in  among  the 
camps  at  Point  of  Rocks,  followed  by  his  orderlies 
and  a  most  unhappy  looking  adjutant,  and  once  more 
he  importuned  the  i^rovost-marshal  to  go  with  him, 
and  this  time  to  no  purpose.  The  provost-marshal 
pleaded  official  duty.  All  the  same,  he  had  curiosity 
enough  to  urge  Foulweather  to  reveal  the  object  of 
his  journey,  and  as  Foulweather  w^ould  not  tell,  and 
rode  away  swearing  disgustedly,  his  suspicions  that 
something  unpleasant  was  in  the  wind  Avere  con- 
firmed, and  he  had  sense  enough  to  go  and  warn 
Clark. 

"Did  he  have  that  valise  and  sabre  still  with  him  ?" 
asked  the  colonel,  who  had  taken  as  strong  a  fancy 
to  Belden  as  he  had  imbibed  dislike  to  his  comrade 
trooper  and  inveterate  enemy.  "Yes,"  said  the  pro- 
vost-marshal, whereat  Clark  ordered  out  his  horse, 
his  adjutant,  and  orderly,  and,  inviting  the  provost- 
marshal  to  join  him,  the  four  quickly  took  the  up- 
river  road  to  Pleasant  Valley  and  trotted  hard  after 
hard-riding  Foulweather.  At  the  Catoctin  crossing 
they  learned  from  Belden's  vedettes  that  their 
colonel  was  at  the  camp  of  the  third  squadron,  two 
miles  up  the  valley,  near  the  Hunt  place;  that  a 
major  of  regulars  had  gone  up  there  not  tAventy 
minutes  ahead  of  them;  and  Clark's  quartette  put 
spurs  to  their  excited  horses  and  galloped  like  mad. 

ISTone  too  soon  did  they  reach  the  spot.  The 
group  in  front  of  Colonel  Belden's.  tent  was  in  a  fer- 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  303 

ment  already,  and  well  it  might  be.  In  brief,  what 
had  already  happened  was  this:  Belden  had  just 
finished  breakfast  and  was  engaged  in  writing  a 
letter  at  his  field-desk  when  his  attention  was  at- 
tracted by  hoof-beats  on  the  half-frozen  ground  and 
the  sudden  appearance  in  front  of  his  tent  of  Major 
Foulweather,  with  "Lanky"  AVilson  and  two  order- 
lies. The  major  was  off  his  horse  in  an  instant, 
Wilson  and  the  valise-bearer  more  slowly  finding 
their  feet  on  terra  firma.  The  second  orderly  held 
the  four  horses,  and  both  he  and  his  mate,  who  fol- 
lowed Foulweather  valise  in  one  hand  and  cased 
sabre  in  the  other,  looked  as  dejected  as  though  be- 
fore a  garrison  court,  while  poor  Wilson  almost 
wished  himself  in  Libby,  for  all  three  admired 
Belden  far  more  than  they  did  their  own  leader. 
Belden's  orderly,  a  sturdy  volunteer  from  the  Sus- 
quehanna valley,  looked  dubiously  at  the  arriving 
party,  but  saluted,  as  he  had  been  taught  to,  when 
Foulweather  stalked  straight  to  the  open  flaps  of  the 
colonel's  tent,  while  Belden's  blue  eyes  grew  steely, 
a  flush  mounted  quickly  to  his  forehead,  and  there 
came  a  curious  corrugation  of  the  skin  between  the 
heavy  eyebrows.  Without  rising,  he  half  turned  in 
his  camp-chair  and  confronted  the  party.  Foul- 
weather advanced  to  the  planking  in  front  before  he 
spoke.     Then  the  words  came  with  a  snap: 

"Captain  Belden,"  he  began,  discourteously  re- 
fusing to  recognize  that  officer's  volunteer  rank, 
"you  are  unattended,  I  see,  and  what  I  have  to  say 


304        THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

to  you  you  may  prefer  to  have  your  own  witnesses 
to  report,  in  case  you  should  have  the  hardihood  to 
bring  the  matter  before  a  court-martial.  I'll  wait 
till  you  can  summon  them." 

There  was  no  need  to  summon.  Already,  at  sight 
of  Foulweather,  a  squadron  leader  and  the  regi- 
mental adjutant  were  coming  "on  the  jump,"  and 
reached  the  spot  almost  at  the  close  of  the  major's 
opening  remarks. 

"I  have  had  one  visit  too  many  from  you  already, 
sir,"  said  Belden,  coldly,  "but  as  "we  are  our  own 
masters  here,  I  know  of  no  better  place  for  a  meet- 
ing." And  there  was  the  significance  of  the  old 
army  in  the  way  Belden  used  the  word,  as,  saying  it, 
he  slowly  and  deliberately  rose  and,  stepping  out  of 
the  tent,  confronted  the  glowering  major,  who,  in- 
deed, had  to  fall  back  a  pace  to  avoid  collision.  "Now 
what  do  you  want?"  he  went  on,  and  it  must  be 
admitted  that  neither  in  word  nor  tone  was  Belden 
either  conciliatory  or  civil.  Promptly  the  Keystone 
captain  and  Belden's  soldierly  young  adjutant 
ranged  themselves  alongside  their  colonel,  with 
fight  in  their  kindling  eyes  and  clinched  fists.  Foul- 
weather  noted,  but  mthout  alarm.    Fighting  was  his 

"I  accused  you  some  weeks  ago,  sir,"  said  he,  "of 
clandestine  visits  to  the  Heatherwood  place."  Foul- 
weather  wasn't  quite  certain  what  clandestine  meant, 
but  he  had  heard  the  adjective  frequently  used  in 
qualification  of  that  very  noun,  and  it  sounded  well. 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  305 

"You  denied  it,  and  I  was  reprimanded  for  circu- 
lating malicious  stories.  You  still  maintain  you  were 
never  there,  I  suppose?" 

"I  decline  to  have  any  further  words  with  you  on 
the  subject." 

"j^o  doubt,"  said  Foul  weather,  triumphantly 
glancing'  at  the  Pennsylvania  officers,  and  then  turn- 
ing and  beckoning  the  trooper  to  come  forward. 
"You  have  caught  sight  of  some  of  my  evidence,  and 
it's  staggered  you,  I  presume;  but  that's  not  all,  by 
a  damned  sight." 

"Use  only  civil  words,  sir,"  or  I'll  be  compelled 
to  have  you  escorted  out  of  this  camp  less  ceremoni- 
ously than  you  were  once  before." 

"JS'ot  much  you  won't.  Captain  Belden,"  inter- 
posed Foul  weather.  "You'll  be  wise  if  you  hasten 
to  write  your  resignation."  Then  suddenly  turning 
to  the  Pennsylvania  officers,  now  reinforced  to  the 
number  of  half  a  dozen,  "Gentlemen,"  said  he,  "your 
commanding  officer,  whom  I  have  known  years 
longer  than  you  have,  declared  on  honor  he  had 
never  visited  the  Heatherwood  place.  Your  com- 
manding officer,  while  he  was  still  serving  with  his 
proper  regiment,  came  back  to  camp  after  a  few  days 
in  Washington  with  a  cock-and-bull  story  about 
having  been  robbed  at  "VVillard's  of  a  new  sabre  and 
suit  of  uniform." 

"We  know  all  about  that,"  interrupted  a  captain, 

hotly,  "and  it's  true." 

"I'm  here  to  prove  that  he  wasn't  robbed.     I'm 
20 


306  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

here  to  say  tliat,  as  the  army's  on  the  move  and 
court-martials  can't  be  hekl,  that  he'll  save  wide- 
spread scandal  and  disgrace  by  tendering  his  resigna- 
tion here  and  now.  Open  that  sabre  case  and  that 
valise,"  he  ordered,  turning  to  his  orderly.  "Here's 
youf  stolen  sabre,  Captain  Belden.  Here's  your  new 
uniform,  and  I  found  the  whole  outfit  last  night 
secreted  at  Heatherwood." 

Belden,  towering  over  the  bulky  major,  had  stood 
there  blazing  at  first  with  wrath,  then  turning  con- 
temptuously cool;  but  at  sight  of  the  glistening 
sabre  and  the  uniform  coat,  which  the  orderly  re- 
luctantly unfolded  and  displayed,  a  gleam  of  interest 
shone  in  his  flashing  blue  eyes. 

"Bring  those  things  forward,"  he  coolly  said,  and, 
stooping  once  more,  the  orderly  advanced  with  his 
burden.  Belden  calmly  took  the  sabre,  examined 
hilt,  guard,  blade,  and  scabbard,  then  put  it  carefully 
aside,  threw  ofl?  the  double-breasted  frock  he  was 
wearing,  took  the  captain's  'uniform  coat  from  the 
orderly's  hands,  donned  it  in  a  trice,  buttoned  it  from 
throat  to  waist,  and  the  fit  was  almost  j^erfect.  He 
carefully  looked  at  the  trousers,  noted  the  disap- 
pearance of  the  watch-pocket,  tossed  them  aside,  and 
then,  as  the  orderly  held  the  valise  open  before  him, 
he  tried  on  the  cap, — another  perfect  fit, — examined 
belt,  sash,  and  gauntlets  as  deliberately  as  he  did  the 
cap,  and  all  this  time  not  a  word  was  spoken.  Foul- 
weather,  breathing  hard,  seemed  at  first  swelling 
with  assured  triumph,  but  as  Belden  waxed  calmer 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  307 

every  moment  and  more  indifferent  to  his  accuser  as 
lie  grew  interested  in  the  garments  and  equipments, 
it  seemed  to  the  major  that  the  climax  was  not  as 
dramatic  as  he  had  planned.  Belden  was  curiously 
studying  the  marking  of  the  few  shirts  and  collars. 
These  he  tumbled  with  the  sash  and  belt  back  into 
the  valise,  took  off  the  coat,  deliberately  handed  it  to 
his  servant,  who  had  come  a  wondering  spectator, 
"Pick  up  those  trousers,"  he  ordered  the  boy,  "lay 
the  coat,  cap,  trousers,  and  sabre  on  my  bed. — They 
are  my  property,"  said  he,  turning  to  the  officers.  "I 
know  nothing  about  the  rest.  Ordinarily  one  re- 
wards the  man  who  returns  stolen  property,  but  you, 
sir,  came  here  as  an  enemy.  Xow  take  your  plunder 
— and  yourself — off." 

The  silence  that  followed  was  brief  enough,  but 
men  who  were  present  long  remembered  it,  and  how 
furiously  Foulweather  broke  it. 

"Damn  your  infernal  impudence!"  he  began, 
when  a  white,  muscular  hand  seized  him  by  the 
throat;  two  hands,  in  fact,  were  at  his  collar  in  an 
instant,  and  before  them  all,  despite  his  furious 
struggles,  Foulweather  was  seized,  throttled,  shaken 
as  a  terrier  shakes  a  rat,  Belden  uttering  never  a 
word  the  while,  and  no  man  interfered  save  when 
Foulweather  strove  to  drag  his  revolver  from  its 
holster.  Then  the  Pennsylvania  adjutant  made  a 
quick  spring  and,  knocking  the  hairy  paw  aside,  pos- 
sessed himself  of  the  weapon,  and  the  throttling  and 
shaking  went  on.     Wilson,  looking  almost  ready  to 


;:08  THE    GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

cry,  began  to  plead.  One  of  the  trooj^ers,  who  had 
followed  old  Foulweather  all  over  the  plains,  ac- 
tually wept  with  excitement  and  distress  of  mind, 
and  just  when  it  began  to  look  as  though  the  major 
stood  in  danger  of  being  choked  to  death,  for  his 
eyes  were  popping  and  his  face  was  black,  there 
came  a  dash  of  horsemen  into  their  midst,  and  Colo- 
nel Clark  took  in  the  situation  at  a  glance. 

"Stop  this,  instantly,  Colonel  Belden,"  he  cried, 
his  voice  ringing  loud  and  commanding.  "Release 
that  officer.  Gentlemen,  I  order  you  both  under 
arrest,"  and,  as  Belden  obeyed,  his  almost  exhausted 
victim  tottered  and  would  have  fallen  but  for  the 
support  of  the  nearest  men,  on  whose  arms  he  leaned, 
gasping  and  gurgling.  Then  Clark  dismounted  and 
came  straight  into  the  group.  "Give  him  a  chair  and 
some  water,"  he  said,  indicating  Foulweather,  and  the 
scared  servant  jumped  out  with  a  camp-stool.  "Colo- 
nel Belden,  you  at  least  are  able  to  speak;  give  me 
your  word  this  matter  shall  go  no  further." 

"I  give  you  my  word,  sir,  that  unless  that  man 
keeps  away  it  shall  go  very  much  further,"  was  the 
calm  reply.  "Major  Foulweather  knows  where  he 
can  find  me  any  time  he  desires;  for  the  present  I 
must  observe  your  arrest."  And  with  cool  dignity, 
yet  panting  a  bit  from  the  lively  exertion,  the  stal- 
wart young  colonel  retired  within  his  tent. 

It  was  some  minutes  before  Foulweather  could  be 
moved.  For  a  time  it  looked  as  though  an  apoplectic 
seizure  might  result,  but  Clark  presently  shook  him 


THE  GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  309 

up  and  ordered  him  instantly  to  mount  and  return 
with  the  provost-marshal  to  Point  of  Rocks.  The 
moment  he  could  speak  at  all,  Foulweather  de- 
manded that  the  uniform  and  sabre  be  restored  to 
him,  but  Clark  promptly  refused.  "You  declared 
your  belief  that  they  belonged  to  Colonel  Belden," 
said  he.  "Colonel  Belden  substantiates  your  state- 
ment, and  you  have  restored  them  to  the  owner;  you 
have  no  right  to  them  whatever." 

"For  evidence — when  he's  tried — I'll  never  rest — 
till  he's  court-martialed,"  sputtered  the  raging  old 
soldier.  But  Wilson,  at  a  sign  from  Clark,  took  his 
bridle-rein  and  led  him  away,  the  provost-marshal 
on  the  other  side,  the  orderlies  following  sorrow- 
fully. Even  among  the  Pennsylvanians  there  was 
sympathy  for  the  broken-down  old  fire-eater  of  a 
dragoon. 

And  later  that  day  Clark  found  him  sleeping  in 
his  little  tent  down  by  the  Barnesville  road,  and  bent 
over  the  grizzled  face  of  the  man  who  moaned 
wretchedly  in  his  heavy,  almost  stertorous  slumber. 
He  had  been  drinking  hard, — his  only  solace,  poor, 
lonely  old  fellow, — and  his  throat  was  bound  with  a 
handkerchief  steeped  in  diluted  arnica.  Treacy  came 
to  see  the  colonel  and  inquire  for  particulars.  He 
didn't  mind  being  in  command,  but,  "AVliat  the  divil 
had  the  ould  man  been  doin'?"  And  Clark  briefly 
explained,  then  asked  to  see  that  mysterious  valise, 
carefully  studied  the  inscription,  the  lettering  on  the 
shirts  and  collars,  had  one  each  of  the  latter  sent  to 
his  camp,  and  rode  forthwith  to  Heatherwood. 


310  THE   GENE  HAL'S  DOUBLE. 

That  evening  Madam  Heatlierwood  repeated  to 
him  that  she  had  no  idea  that  any  such  valise  had 
ever  been  under  her  roof,  but  when  told  that  it  was 
marked  "J.  L.,  Xew  York  City,"  and  asked  if  she 
could  account  for  its  being  there  at  all,  the  gentle 
and  beloved  lady  became  greatly  agitated. 

"I  suspect;  but  even  if  I  knew,  colonel,  I  could 
not  tell,  bound  by  a  promise  as  I  am." 

Clark  tried  to  see  Miss  Pleatherwood,  but  was  told 
that  she  was  still  far  too  weak  and  ill  to  receive  a 
visitor,  much  less  to  be  questioned.  Then  he  sought 
a  word  with  Laura,  who  had  not  been  seen  since  his 
arrival;  but  Clark  had  heard  laughing  talk  among 
the  men,  and  so  made  at  once  for  the  orchard,  and 
there  a  crippled  corporal  stood  attention  on  his 
crutches,  and  was  not  unkindly  told  to  go  back  to 
hospital,  which  both  Miss  Waddell  and  Mr.  Pet- 
tingill  much  resented,  and  the  latter  confided  the 
cause  of  his  annoyance  to  that  queer  fellow  Bell, 
who  w^as  again  convalescent  and  sitting  up.  And 
when,  after  a  half-hour's  cross-questioning  of  the 
saucy  Virginia  girl,  Colonel  Clark  came  riding  down 
to  the  field-surgeon's  bailiwick,  and  again  spoke 
kindly  and  cordially  to  Pettingillj  the  latter  melted 
at  once.  But  when  that  colonel  went  through  the  big 
tents,  speaking  pleasantly  to  the  wounded,  several 
cots  were  empty.  Bell's  among  them,  and  no  Bell 
could  they  find  when  the  colonel  expressed  a  desire 
to  see  the  man  who  fought  so  gallantly  to  save  Pen- 
nington's gun. 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  311 

But  that  night  Colonel  Clark  wrote  a  rather  long 
letter,  which,  addressed  to  Mr.  George  Lowndes, 
ISTew  York  City,  went  off  via  Baltimore  next  day, 
and  found  no  such  person  at  the  big  gloomy  old  man- 
sion. Father  and  daughter,  the  Lowndeses,  had  left 
the  scene  of  their  sorrows  and  gone  abroad.  That 
was  why  for  months  no  answer  came  to  Clark's 
missive.  In  two  weeks  more  he  and  his  regiment 
were  on  the  Rappahannock,  and  Belden  and  Foul- 
weather — long  since  released  from  arrest,  as  it  was 
understood  that  the  latter  would  attempt  no  further 
meeting  with  the  colonel,  but  had  reduced  his 
grievances  and  charges  to  writing  and  the  considera- 
tion of  the  War  Department — they,  too,  were  well 
away  by  different  routes  on  the  march  to  join  their 
brigades,  and  still  newer  troops  moved  into  the  val- 
ley of  the  Monocacy  and  up  the  Potomac  towards 
Harper's  Ferry.  The  night  before  Clark  marched 
he  called  to  say  good-by  to  the  gentlewomen  of 
Heatherwood,  and  there  he  heard  a  piece  of  news 
that  Madam  Heatherwood  told  him  with  tears  run- 
ning down  her  cheeks.  A\niile  her  boys,  Ralph  and 
Tighlman,  were  still  imprisoned  in  Washington, 
Floyd  I  airfax  had  succeeded  in  rejoining  Stuart  and 
his  old  regiment,  only  to  find  himself  ostracized, 
"cut,"  a  Pariah  among  soldiers  and  gentlemen,  ac- 
cused by  Montfort  and  Garnett  of  shirking  danger 
and  duty  with  his  men  and  accepting  dishonorable 
captivity  under  the  roof  which  sheltered  the  lady  of 
his  love. 


CHAPTER   XXII. 

Evil  days  had  come  to  Heatlierwood,  as  well  as 
to  those  who  loved  it  and  so  long  had  made  it  their 
home.  The  gloomy  winter  of  '62-3  opened  early. 
The  blue  Catoctins  had  been  shrouded  in  a  snow- 
cloud  before  November  was  fairly  a  week  old,  and 
the  old  household  physician,  riding  over  from  Fred- 
erick two  or  three  times  a  week,  an  object  of  suspi- 
cion to  every  new  sentry  or  guard  despite  the  numer- 
ous passes  and  vouchers  he  never  dared  to  leave  at 
home,  finally  shook  his  head  over  the  slow  recovery 
of  his  patient,  and  asked  her  devoted  mother  if  it 
were  not  possible  to  remove  her  to  Baltimore  or 
"Washington.  Laura  sang  no  longer  in  the  orchard, 
where  a  meeting  and  parting  of  the  romantic  sort 
had  taken  place  when  Pettingill  received  sudden 
orders  to  accompany  a  party  of  convalescents  to  the 
distant  front,  and  he  and  silent,  stern-faced  Trooper 
Bell  were  marched  away  by  slow  stages  to  reinforce 
the  army.  Burnside  was  massing  in  front  of  Fred- 
ericksburg for  the  senseless  slaughter  yet  to  come. 
Ralph  and  Tighlman  still  sighed  in  their  soldier 
prison  and  were  refused  exchange,  despite  the  fact 
that  scores  of  their  comrades  were  being  sent  back  to 
Virginia.  Foul  weather's  charges  against  Belden, 
though  they  fell  flat  where  the  gallant  accused  was 
312 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  313 

concerned,  seemed  to  have  redoubled  the  ire  of  the 
Secretary  of  War  and  confirmed  him  in  his  belief 
that  the  lieatherwoods  had  rewarded  kindness  with 
treachery.  As  ill  luck  would  have  it,  the  officers 
who  best  knew  the  gentle  mistress  of  the  old  manse 
were  mostly  of  the  class  that  clung  to  McClellan, 
Porter,  Stone,  and  others  whose  names  were,  for  the 
time  being  at  least,  clouded  in  Stanton's  eyes. 
Nothing  they  could  say  in  her  behalf  appealed  to 
him.  l^othing  others  could  urge  proved  potent 
enough  to  outweigh  two  things, — first,  Mrs.  Heather- 
wood's  calm  and  determined  assertion  that  she  could 
not  say  who  it  was  that  had  spirited  away  Fairfax's 
farmer  disguise  and  had  hidden  in  that  chimney 
niche  the  uniform  and  equipment  of  a  cavalry  offi- 
cer; indeed,  she  said  that  she  did  not  know;  and, 
secondly.  Miss  Heatherwood's  equally  calm  and  de- 
termined reply,  weak  though  she  was  when  visited 
by  the  staff-officer  sent  to  investigate,  that  she  would 
not  tell,  though  she  admitted  that  she  did  know.  The 
question  of  their  removal  from  Ileatherwood  was 
settled  for  them  without  further  reference  to  the 
doctor,  and  the  three  ladies,  carefully  yet  courte- 
ously guarded,  were  escorted  to  Baltimore,  where 
old  friends  received  them  with  open  arms,  only  to 
become,  in  turn,  objects  of  suspicion  themselves, 
and  to  find  their  home,  their  movements,  their  very 
lives,  dogged  by  detectives  and  secret  service  people. 
It  could  not  be  otherwise.  It  was  one  of  the  inevi- 
table consequences  of  the  war.     Away  into  Decern- 


314        THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

ber  the  head  of  the  War  Department  would  boil  over 
with  wrath  and  indignation  when  Stuart's  raid  was 
mentioned,  or  some  one  spoke  of  Fairfax.  Well  was 
it  for  Colonel  Clark,  with  all  the  splendid  record 
won  during  the  first  year  of  the  war,  that  he  had 
been  summoned  to  Harper's  Ferry  and  was  away  at 
the  moment  of  the  Virginian's  escape.  Even  as  it 
was,  Stanton  seemed  to  hold  that  the  colonel  should 
have  foreseen  and  prevented  any  possibility  of  his 
soldiers  being  tempted  by  the  wealthy  friends  of  the 
accused.  The  Xew  Hampshire  "boys"  went  into  the 
hopeless  assault  on  the  heights  of  Fredericksburg 
under  the  spur  of  Stanton's  intimation  that  they  had 
a  disgrace  to  wash  out,  and  if  the  blood  of  half  their 
number  were  atonement  sufficient,  as  Clark  sadly 
wrote  that  bitter  night,  then  were  they  indeed 
absolved. 

Left  in  charge  of  poor  old  Chloe  and  her  aging 
spouse,  with  a  caretaker  from  Poolesville  and  fre- 
quent domiciliary  visits  from  curious  soldiery  pass- 
ing that  way,  Heatherwood  Towers,  as  the  Mary- 
landers  poetically  called  it,  drowsed  through  the 
dreary  winter,  yet  found  itself  not  altogether  friend- 
less. The  major-general  commanding  at  Baltimore, 
a  man  somewhat  of  Stanton's  type,  would  order  no 
guard  for  its  protection,  but  there  were  invalids  in 
the  field-hospital  under  the  height  who  day  after  day 
had  eagerly  awaited  the  visit  of  its  gentle  owner, 
whose  sweet  smile  and  soothing  or  encouraging 
words  had  sustained  them  in  the  fevered  days  of  the 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  315 

autumn.  Mindful  of  the  many  little  delicacies  that 
she  had  brought  them,  and  of  her  affectionate  care, 
they  now,  in  their  slowly  regaining  strength,  organ- 
ized among  themselves,  after  hearing  of  depredations 
and  robberies,  what  they  called  the  Heathenvood 
Guards,  and  with  the  full  knowledge  and  approval 
of  the  surgeon  in  charge,  who  also  had  learned  to 
bless  her  coming  as  much  as  they,  stoutly  posted 
their  crippled  sentries  night  and  day  and  taught  the 
evil-disposed  a  lesson  that  prolonged  the  life  of  the 
once  lovely  old  place  through  the  bitter  winter,  until 
there  came  a  day  when  once  more  the  orchard  was 
in  full  bloom  and  the  orioles  and  blue  birds  were 
flashing  in  the  sunlight  from  tree  to  tree,  when  their 
numbers  were  so  far  reduced  that  they  were  power- 
less against  the  new  and  relentless  foe,  and  all  their 
loyal  tribute  of  affection  and  gratitude  w^as  in  vain. 
Xo  need  here  to  tell  of  the  increasing  gloom  at 
Washington  over  the  disasters,  one  after  another, 
that  befell  the  gallant,  patient,  ever-ready,  yet  long- 
mishandled  Army  of  the  Potomac,  or  of  the  cor- 
responding joy  and  increasing  hope  and  defiance  in 
the  social  life  of  Baltimore.  All  through  the  long, 
anxious  winter  the  Heatherwoods  lived  there  in  mo- 
notonous seclusion,  diversified,  perhaps,  by  the  arrest 
of  Miss  Waddell  for  irrepressible  impudence  to  the 
provost-guard  after  the  news  of  Fredericksburg.  Her 
release  was  speedily  ordered  by  a  laughing,  gray- 
haired  colonel,  who  drove  her  to  the  verge  of  fury 
by  demanding  of  his  juniors  what  possible  harm  the 


316        THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

little  spitfire  could  have  done;  and  she  was  really 
pining  to  be  court-martialied  and  jailed  as  a  rebel 
and  a  martyr  one  minute,  even  while  secretly  pray- 
ing for  news  of  Fettingill  the  next.  He  was  first 
sergeant  of  his  company  when  Hooker  made  that 
admirable  move  to  Chancellorsville  the  last  of  April, 
and,  still  as  first  sergeant,  commanded  it  when  it 
slowly  fell  back  with  the  fiercely  fighting  line  on  the 
third  day  of  that  headless  battling.  "Young  and 
green"  as  he  was  at  the  start,  the  fighting  blood  of 
Concord  Bridge  and  Bunker  Hill  was  coursing  in 
his  veins,  and  Clark,  though  himself  wounded  and 
well-nigh  broken-hearted  over  the  disastrous  moves 
that  had  robbed  him  of  one-third  of  his  officers  and 
men,  wrote  to  the  governor  that  First  Sergeant  Fet- 
tingill deserved  promotion  more  than  any  man  he 
could  think  of  in  the  ranks. 

And  Baltimore  was  mad  with  ill-concealed  joy 
and  delight  when,  close  upon  the  heels  of  the  news 
of  Chancellorsville,  there  came  the  thrilling  whisper, 
"Lee  is  coming!  Lee  is  coming!  The  victorious 
army  of  the  South  will  be  across  the  Fotomac — at 
our  very  gates — within  a  fortnight!"  And  Belle 
Heatherwood's  pale  cheek  flushed  with  strange  emo- 
tion— hope?  love?  anticipation? — who  could  say? 
Twice  had  letters  been  brought  to  her  from  Fairfax, 
a  vindicated  man.  The  letters  of  friends  at  Lees- 
burg,  Poolesville,  and  Frederick,  backed  by  those 
of  Madam  Heathcrwood  herself,  all  spirited  through 
the  lines  by  the  mysterious  agencies  existing  both  in 


THE  GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  317 

Baltimore  and  Wasliington,  had  established  his  in- 
nocence of  the  allegations  laid  at  his  door,  but,  in 
his  wrath  at  Montfort  and  Garnett,  he  had  refused 
further  service  with  them  and  had  fought  superbly 
on  the  staff  of  A.  P.  Hill  until  the  officers  and  men 
of  a  sorely  depleted  regiment  of  Virginians  urged 
his  acceptance  of  a  vacant  lieutenant-colonelcy,  and 
he  led  them  like  a  lion  when  they  struck  the  corps  of 
Howard,  crushing  it  like  an  egg-shell,  the  fatal  first 
day  of  Hooker's  one  battle  in  chief  command. 

But  over  and  again  there  was  a  question  on  the 
mother's  lips  that  was  checked  by  Belle  Heather- 
wood's  uplifted  hand,  by  the  piteous  plea  in  her  sad, 
sweet  face.  Much  her  mother  suspected  that  one 
man  had  risked  life  and  honor  to  save  Floyd  Fairfax 
for  no  other  reason  than  that  he  believed  the  Vir- 
ginian's death  as  a  spy  would  break  Belle  Heather- 
wood's  heart.  The  nimble  escape  with  the  con- 
demning disguise,  the  later  relapses,  and  the  well- 
assumed  mental  break-down  essayed  to  prevent  his 
being  called  as  a  witness  before  the  court, — these, 
together  with  the  daring  and  devotion  he  had  earlier 
shown  in  their  service,  plainly  told  their  story, — 
that  Trooper  Bell  was  a  lover  Quixotic,  even,  in  self- 
abnegation,  and  so  unworthy  in  his  own  eyes  as  to 
ask  no  word  of  hope,  and  only  in  one  way  able  to 
find  means  to  relieve  his  over-weighted  heart:  he 
could  not  woo  or  win  her  love,  but  her  gratitude,  her 
respect,  he  could  and  would  command.  Firmly  be- 
lieving, ever  since  the  night  he  witnessed  her  agony 


318         THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

over  the  capture  of  Fairfax,  that  it  was  because  she 
devotedly  loved  him,  he  had  first  secured,  then 
dashed  away  with,  the  fatal  disguise,  had  later  man- 
aged to  head  off  every  effort  to  produce  himself  as  a 
witness,  and  had  finally  and  silently  gone  his  way  to 
rejoin  his  regiment  without  one  word  of  blessing 
from  her  lips,  without  one  glance  from  her  beau- 
tiful, grateful  eyes.  From  him  no  further  line  or 
message  had  come.  Foulweather  had  sent  the  va- 
lise with  its  contents  to  the  War  Department,  where 
it  was  speedily  relegated  to  a  rubbish  heaj),  bigger 
game  than  that  demanding  the  efforts  of  every  man 
on  duty;  and  now  the  Heatherwoods  knew  not  whom 
to  ask;  indeed,  they  knew  not  but  that  inquiry  for  a 
Union  trooper  on  their  part  might  blast  his  name 
and  prospects  even  as  their  own  seemed  ruined.  Un- 
able to  relieve  their  OAvn  anxiety  on  his  account,  they 
were  ill  equipped  to  lessen  that  of  others,  yet  there 
came  a  day,  just  when  for  the  second  time  Lee's 
hard-marching  infantry  once  more  swung  their  bat- 
tered hats  and  cheered  at  sight  of  the  blue  Catoctins 
of  Maryland,  when  Belle  Heatherwood,  reading 
aloud  to  her  wearied  mother  as  the  latter  lay  by  the 
open  window,  fanned  by  the  soft  Southern  breeze, 
was  startled  by  the  slow  opening  of  a  door  leading 
into  the  hall,  and  there,  hesitant,  timid,  yet  with  a 
world  of  sorrow  and  pleading  in  her  face,  dressed 
still  in  morning,  stood  Florence  Lowndes. 

One  moment  she  hung  there  irresolute,  as  Belle 
slowly  rose  from  her  chair,  her  face  wliiter  now  than 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  319 

that  of  her  nnlooked  for  visitor,  her  slender  hands 
pressed  to  her  temples,  her  eyes  filled  with  bewilder- 
ment. Then  with  one  impulsive  gesture  she  threw 
out  her  arms,  and  in  an  instant  the  girls  were  locked 
in  each  other's  embrace,  every  bitter  word  of  the  past 
forgotten. 

Later  that  long  June  afternoon,  their  sorrow- 
weighted  hearts  relieved  through  nature's  blessed 
floodgates  by  the  torrent  of  their  tears,  they  were 
seated  at  a  window  commanding  a  view  of  the  wide 
and  crowded  thoroughfare.  All  Baltimore  seemed 
thronging  into  the  open  air,  thrilled  with  exultation, 
they  whose  loved  ones  marched  with  Lee,  or  silent 
with  apprehension,  they  whose  hearts  and  hopes  were 
bound  up  in  the  Union.  Wild  rumors  were  afloat 
on  every  side.  IS'^ewsboys  yelled  shrill  mendacity,  as 
they  darted,  "extra"  laden,  through  the  crowd. 
Gayly  dressed  women  exchanged  congratulations, 
even  daringly  flaunted  the  rebel  colors  on  their  dress, 
laughing  gleefully  as  their  bright  eyes  flashed  de- 
fiance at  the  blue-uniformed  ofiicers  hastening  to  and 
from  the  general's  head-quarters  up  the  street.  A 
band  was  playing  spirited  music  at  the  base  of  the 
monument  in  the  adjoining  square,  and  a  roar  of 
delight  went  up  from  a  thousand  throats  when  it 
suddenly  burst  forth  \vith  the  strains  of  "The  Bonnie 
Blue  Flag."  The  rush  of  the  provost-guard  was  all 
that  stopped  still  further  demonstration,  and  a  regi- 
ment, with  bayonets  ominously  fixed,  marched  in 
grim  silence  through  the  square,  formed  line  in  front 


"320  THE   GENERALS  DOUBLE. 

of  liead-quarters,  and  stood  at  rest,  leaning  on  the 
muzzles  of  the  long  muskets  and  peering  sternly  out 
from  under  the  black  visors  of  the  worn  blue  forage- 
caps at  the  occasionally  jeering  swarm  along  the  op- 
posite sidewalk.  For  reasons  of  her  own  Mrs. 
Heatherwood  refrained  from  coming  to  the  windows 
this  day,  and  remained  at  the  rear  of  the  house. 
Another  perplexity  had  come.  Well  she  knew  that 
in  this  unheralded  return  from  abroad  Florence 
Lowndes  and  her  father  had  at  last  received  Clark's 
important  missive,  and  were  there  to  question. 
Surely  there  was  something  strange  in  the  fact  that 
Jack's  valise,  with  some  of  his  clothing,  together 
with  the  uniform  of  another  officer,  should  have 
been  found  at  Heatherwood.  Florence  was  confi- 
dent that  Jack  had  only  one  such  valise,  and  that  he 
took  it  with  him  when  he  went  to  the  front  at  the 
first  call.  Well  she  remembered  her  tearful  parting 
with  him  and  her  dread  of  her  father's  anger  should 
he  discover  that  his  daughter  had  dared  seek  his 
banished  son.  It  had  hurt  her  that  the  news  came  as 
it  did.  She  could  hardly  explain  why,  except  that 
"Mr."  Clark,  as  she  persisted  in  calling  the  now 
famous  brigade  commander,  beloved  and  honored 
in  the  hard-hit,  hard-fighting  army,  had  never  un- 
derstood Jack,  and  had  even  prejudiced  her  father 
against  him.  Reasoning  it  all  out,  she  well  knew 
that  after  her  bitter  words  to  Belle  and  her  refusal 
to  answer  the  latter's  sad,  womanly  letter  she  had  no 
right  to  expect  the  Ileatherwoods  would  write  again. 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  321 

She  had  never  notified  them  of  the  project  of  going 
abroad,  where,  finding  no  comfort  in  the  beaten 
track,  father  and  daughter  had  sought  the  bj-wajs, 
and  had  gone  to  what  were  then  remote  places. 
Clark's  letter  awaited  them  in  Rome  on  their  return 
from  a  long,  lingering  journej  up  the  I^ile;  and  so, 
while,  sobbing,  she  told  Miss  Ileatherwood  of  the 
tidings  sent  by  Clark,  it  never  seemed  to  occur  to  her 
that  for  over  a  year  Belle  had  known  all  about  the 
valise  and  other  and  far  more  vital  matters  and  had 
made  no  sign.  She  accepted  as  all  sufficient  Belle's 
half-choking  explanation  that  it  was  found  at  Ma- 
nassas where  mother  had  gone  to  nurse  the  wounded. 
She  seemed  to  attach  no  significance  to  the  fact  that 
Mrs.  Heatherwood  had  avoided  her  all  the  afternoon. 
It  was  but  natural  that  the  fond  and  gentle  woman 
should  think  best  to  leave  the  girls  together  for 
hours,  that  the  reconciliation  might  be  complete. 
Her  father  was  to  call  at  eight  and  talk  with  Mrs. 
Heatherwood  himself.  He  wished  to  seek  her  aid 
in  the  discovery  of  important  papers  Jack  probably 
had  in  that  valise  at  the  time  of  the  capture  of  the 
baggage-wagons  by  the  exultant  Southerners.  Xo 
one  would  more  readily  assist  him  in  his  search  than 
this  noble  woman  who  was  so  honored  by  soldiers 
both  ]!*«3^orth  and  South.  And  so  as  the  afternoon 
wore  on  Belle's  nervousness  began  to  disappear. 
Florence  asked  no  questions  that  grievously  embar- 
rassed her.     Together  they  read  the  ominous  extras. 

Together  they  clung,  standing  at  the  window  watch- 

21 


322        THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

ing  tlie  increasing  crowd  and  excitement  in  the 
street.  Timidly  Florence  began  to  ask  for  tidings 
of  Ilalpli  and  Tiglilman,  and  finally  of  Fairfax,  and 
quickly  she  noted  the  faint  color  that  stole  to  the 
soft  cheek  of  the  Maryland  girl  at  mention  of  the 
Virginian's  name.  Together  they  were  seated  at  the 
open  casement  when,  with  flashing  eyes  and  flaming 
cheeks,  Laura  Waddell  came  bounding  in  all  athrill, 
her  light  silken  jacket  throwm  back,  revealing  on  the 
bosom  of  the  gossamer  gown  beneath  the  scarlet, 
blue,  and  white  of  the  "Stars  and  Bars."  The  sight 
of  the  stranger  only  slightly  checked  her  impulse. 

"Belle!  Belle!"  she  cried;  "look  out  yahnduh! 
Here  comes  that  very  fella  you  wouldn't  tell  me 
about  at  home;   and  he's  got  to  be  a  general!" 

The  clatter  of  horses'  hoofs  added  to  the  clamor 
in  the  streets.  At  quick,  spirited  walk,  almost 
verging  on  the  jog-trot,  a  little  party  of  Union  horse- 
men came  riding  towards  head-quarters.  Right  and 
left  the  tlirong  stood  still  and  stared,  though  the 
sight  of  generals  wearing  the  single  star  was  no 
novelty.  It  was  the  superb  form,  face,  and  bearing 
of  the  young  brigadier  foremost  in  the  array  that 
riveted  all  eyes  upon  him  and  left  but  casual  glance 
for  the  few  staff-officers  and  orderlies  who  followed. 
Erect  and  graceful,  manly  strength  and  confidence 
in  his  pose,  sitting  his  spirited  horse  like  a  centaur, 
his  keen  blue  eyes  gleaming  from  under  the  visor  of 
his  jaunty  forage-cap,  his  uniform,  evidently  new, 
fitting  him  without  a  flaw,  his  yellow  sash  and  gold- 


THE   GENERALS  DOUBLE.  323 

barred  belt,  his  handsome  sword,  boots,  and  horse 
equipments,  all  the  perfection  of  soldierly  style,  yet 
impressing  no  one  vni\\  the  idea  of  the  soldier  dandy, 
his  handsome,  clear-cut  face  bronzed  by  the  hot  Vir- 
ginia suns,  his  mouth  concealed  by  the  sweeping 
blond  moustache — no  wonder  even  rampant,  rebel 
Baltimore  stared  and  admired.  AVith  blanched,  in- 
credulous face.  Belle  Heatherwood  gazed,  lost  to  all 
surroundings,  forgetful  utterly  of  the  girl  at  her 
side,  until  suddenly  recalled  to  herself  and  her  friend 
by  the  piercing  cry  in  which  wild  joy,  amaze,  un- 
belief, aye,  even  dread,  were  mingled.  "Jack !  Jack ! 
Brother  r'  And  then  with  outstretched  arms  poor 
Florence  fell  as  though  suddenly  struck  a  mortal 
blow  and  hung  lifeless  over  the  sill  of  the  open 
window. 

It  w^as  long  before  they  could  restore  her.  When 
at  last  consciousness  returned,  her  father,  too,  was 
bending  over  her,  and  his  stern,  sad,  rugged  old  face 
was  piteous  in  its  anxiety  and  distress.  Almost  her 
first  words  were,  "Did  you  see — Jack?" 

"Hush,  my  darling!"  he  answered,  brokenly,  and 
the  tears  started  to  his  eyes.  "We  have  heard  all 
about  him.  I  wish  to  God  it  were  my  Jack.  That 
was  the  Pennsylvania  cavalry  officer  who  won  such 
fame,  and  his  general's  stars,  on  Stoneman's  raid. 
His  name  is  Grosvenor  Belden. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

"Up  from  the  South"  in  the  long  June  days  came 
the  long  gray  columns  of  Lee.  Less  than  a  year  had 
sped  since,  shattered,  yet  undismayed,  they  had  re- 
coiled from  the  shadows  of  the  blue  Catoctins  and 
retired  to  the  old  intrenchments  of  the  Rappahan- 
nock, whence,  triumphant  and  with  self-confidence 
tenfold  increased,  after  the  bloody  lessons  given 
the  Union  arms  at  Fredericksburg  and  Chancellors- 
ville,  once  more  they  essayed  the  conquest  of  Mary- 
land and  the  dash  at  the  Northern  cities.  Once  more 
the  daring  advance  guard  bridged  the  Potomac,  and 
the  famous  old  lieutenants  led  their  grimy  corps 
through  the  streets  of  Hagerstown  and  on  towards 
the  lovely  Cumberland  Valley  of  Pennsylvania, — .all 
sa^e  one;  Jackson,  most  daring  of  all,  had  crossed  a 
still  more  shadowy  river,  and  was  resting  forever 
under  the  shade  of  the  trees.  Xot  yet  had  the 
knightly  leader  of  the  Southern  host  begun  to  realize 
the  extent  of  his  loss.  There  had  been  no  general 
engagement  since  the  grapple  in  the  thickets  south 
and  west  of  the  old  Virginia  hamlet.  IN^ot  yet  had  he 
fully  realized  another  thing, — that  the  eyes  of  the 
latest  commander  of  the  Anny  of  the  Potomac  had 
been  opened  to  the  need  for  better  use  of  the  eyes  of 

the  army;  that  master  hands  had  been  reorganizing 
3-.' I 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  '325 

tlie  Union  cavalry;  that  tlie  sloths  and  fossils  were 
being  replaced  by  keen-witted  troopere  who  knew 
their  trade  and  were  ready  to  ride,  scout,  and  fight 
night  or  day,  and  were  praying  for  no  greater  boon 
than  a  chance  to  match  the  "Cavaliers"  of  Stuart 
against  the  "Ironsides"  of  the  I*^orth.  John  Buford, 
impatient  of  staff  duty,  rode  at  the  head  of  one 
division,  Kilpatrick  and  Gregg  of  the  others,  while 
gallant  young  soldiers  had  been  chosen  to  step  wp  to 
the  stars  of  the  brigadier,  and  Merritt  and  Custer, 
boy  captains  but  a  day  ago,  donned  the  yellow  sash, 
and  regular  and  volunteer,  their  brigades  hailed  the 
new  commanders  with  cheers  of  jjride  and  confi- 
dence. 

At  Beverly  Ford  and  Brandy  Station  the  troopers 
of  the  l^ortli  and  South  fought  their  first  battle 
royal,  and  Stuart  saw  how  great  a  change  had  been 
wrought  within  the  few  months.  Brainy  men  were 
now  directing  the  blows  of  the  Union  horse,  and 
brawny  arms  were  delivering  them,  and  for  the  first 
time  in  his  war  history  the  Virginian  met  his  match 
and  knew  it.  Yet,  even  at  the  moment  when  it 
da^vned  upon  the  Southern  commander  that  at  last 
the  Union  had  a  cavalry  force  worth  his  considera- 
tion, and  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  was  possessed  of 
a  right  arm  it  lacked  the  year  before,  even  when  it 
was  most  likely  they  would  need  their  own,  did  Lee 
and  Stuart  plan  a  separation.  Even  as  the  head  of 
the  Southern  army  of  invasion  came  in  view  of 
Maryland  Heights,  while  the  Army  of  the  Potomac, 


326         THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

marching  night  and  day,  strove  hard  to  interpose 
between  the  rebel  battle-flags  and  the  alarmed  and 
threatened  halls  of  government  at  AVashington,  the 
screen  of  Stuart's  cavalry  slipped  away  from  between 
the  parallel  columns,  and,  passing  entirely  around  the 
rear  of  Hooker's  hindmost  brigade,  went  gayly  away 
on  a  raid  of  its  own  that  bore  it  close  under  the  guns 
of  Washington,  and  so  on  up  through  Maryland  and 
Pennsylvania,  lost  to  Lee  for  many  a  day  when  most 
he  stood  in  need  of  it,  only  to  return  in  time  for  the 
last  hour's  bitter  work  at  Gettysburg  and  to  be 
ground  to  earth  and  battered  and  slashed  and  sent 
whirling  from  the  field,  completely  overmastered  by 
Gregg  and  the  Second  Division,  backed  by  Custer 
with  the  Michigan  men. 

Yet  changes  had  come  in  the  Union  horse  that 
were  not  all  for  the  better.  A  wail  went  up  in  many 
a  camp  when  gallant  "Grimes"  Davis  met  his  soldier 
fate,  heading  the  dash  at  Beverly  Ford.  A  growl  of 
remonstrance  rose  from  many  a  bearded  throat  when 
Belden  accepted  the  yellow  sash  and  silver  stars  and 
went  to  Washington,  transferred  to  a  new  command. 
("Lost,"  said  his  trooper  friends,  "in  the  infantry.") 
Yet  this  was  before  young  cavalry  captains  were 
getting  their  brigades,  and  Belden  was  wise.  Furi- 
ous things  old  Foulweather  was  saying,  as  he  led 
his  regiment,  the  — th  Regulars,  on  the  march  to 
Maryland,  but  when  he  read  the  order  that  made 
his  junior  (a  captain  of  the  Second)  instead  of  him- 
self (a  major  of  the  — th)  full  brigadier-general,  and 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  327 

assigned  liim  to  tlie  command  of  the  regular  brigade, 
the  old  fellow's  wrath  and  misery  were  well-nigh 
complete.  "They  might  as  well  kill  me  outright," 
said  he  to  Treacy  and  Hamlin,  who  had  heard  the 
news  with  secret  joy,  "as  to  let  me  die  by  slow  tor- 
ture and  mortification  as  they  are  doing."  And  a 
far  more  serious  matter  was  it  beginning  to  prove 
than  at  first  his  brother  ofiicers  sujDposed.  Envy, 
jealousy,  disapjwinted  ambition,  hate,  and  heaven 
knows  how  many  other  things,  were  telling  on  the 
rugged  old  trooper,  and  as  the  brigade  crossed  the 
Potomac  and  reached  the  Maryland  shore  the  sur- 
geon came  to  the  commander. 

"Old  Foulweather,"  said  he,  using  the  pet  name  so 
well  known  throughout  the  army,  "is  in  the  grasp 
of  a  high  fever  that  may  prove  very  serious.  He 
should  be  sent  at  once  to  the  nearest  hospital." 

And  so  that  very  evening  a  yellow  ambulance  clat- 
tered up  the  towpath  and  turned  in  under  Heather- 
wood  Height,  and  the  escorting  troopers,  three  in 
number,  asked  for  the  doctor  in  charge  of  the  field- 
hospital  still  maintained  there  for  the  benefit  of  the 
sick  or  possible  wounded  among  the  troops  detailed 
to  guard  the  canal  and  the  many  fords  and  ferries, 
and  from  the  depths  of  the  dust-covered  vehicle  they 
lifted  as  tenderly  as  possible  a  raging,  raving,  strug- 
gling old  soldier  who  swore  hideously  at  surgeon, 
steward,  sergeant,  and  all,  but  was  overpowered  and 
borne  to  a  shady,  airy  tent,  and  there  almost  forcibly 
put  to  bed. 


328         THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

Three  hours  later,  when,  refreshed  and  rested, 
their  horses  fed,  watered,  and  groomed,  the  escorting 
troopers  would  have  taken  the  road  to  Frederick  to 
rejoin  their  regiment,  one  of  their  number  was  miss- 
ing, and  the  sergeant  inquired,  after  the  manner  of 
war-time  troopers  far  and  near,  "Where  'n  'ell's 
Bell?" 

To  which  answered  the  other  words  to  the  effect 
that  "you  ncA^er  knew  where  Bell  was  'cept  in  a  fight, 
— then  he  was  there  P' 

Inquiry  among  the  convalescents  seated  in  the 
slanting  sunshine  watching  the  signal-flags  waving 
on  the  westward  heights  evoked  the  information  that 
a  "feller"  answering  their  description  had  gone  up  the 
path  to  Heathcrwood  half  an  hour  before,  whereat 
the  sergeant  emulated  his  now  prostrate  commander 
and  blasphemed  vigorously. 

"That  damned  Beau,"  said  he,  "is  more  trouble 

4 

than  the  rest  of  the  troop  put  together  just  so  soon 
as  we  get  north  of  the  Potomac.  South  of  it  he's  all 
right.    I  might  have  known  he'd  be  losing  himself." 

"What'd  you  bring  him  for?"  asked  his  subordi- 
nate, unfeelingly. 

"I  didn't;  the  lieutenant  sent  him,  and  told  me 
he  knew  the  best  road  and  all  about  the  country,  and 
now  he's  gone  and  we  are  ordered  to  be  at  Frederick 
to-night. — Who  lives  up  yonder?"  he  abruptly 
asked  an  invalided  sergeant  hobbling  by,  and  the 
volunteer  stopped  for  a  chat  with  the  regular. 

"Family  named   Heatherwood,    from   Baltimore. 


THE   GENERAL- S  DOUBLE.  329 

House  has  been  vacant  for  a  long  time  until  tins 
week.  ISTow  there's  several  people  there,  they  say. 
The  old  hands  here  used  to  look  after  it  and  kept 
guard  there,  but  there's  only  one  or  two  of  them  left. 
They  post  sentries  from  that  regiment  over  yonder 
up  there  every  night  now  since  the  folks  come  back, 
and  no  one's  allowed  in  or  out." 

"Well,  I'm  going  up,"  said  the  sergeant,  stoutly. 
"I've  lost  a  man,  and  they  say  he  went  up  there. 
You  watch  the  horses  and  traps,  Jim,"  he  called  over 
his  shoulder  to  the  private  trooper.  "I'll  be  back 
in  twenty  minutes." 

Following  the  pathway  through  the  leafy  woods. 
Sergeant  Black  began  the  somewhat  steep  ascent 
among  the  trees  until  he  emerged  from  them  at  the 
edge  of  a  little  sloping  bench  of  cleared  and  once 
cultivated  ground,  beyond  whicli  stood  the  bams  and 
enclosures,  and  beyond  them  certain  weather-beaten 
sheds  and  a  corn-crib.  Not  a  soul  was  in  sight,  and 
after  a  moment's  quiet  reconnoissance  and  a  long 
breath  or  two,  the  war-worn  soldier  pushed  ahead, 
lie  found  the  bam  and  barn-yard  empty  and  the 
last  vestige  of  forage  gone.  The  storehouse,  corn- 
crib,  etc.,  had  long  since  outlived  their  usefulness, 
every  crumb  or  kernel  having  been  devoured  or 
SAvept  away.  Out  in  the  orchard  \h.e  sun  was  throw- 
ing his  last  rays  through  the  blossoming  trees  and 
gilding  the  old  sun-dial  and  tipping  the  hedge  and 
that  relic  of  a  fence  with  gold.  The  kitchen  door 
was  open,  so  was  one  that  led  to  the  cellar,  and 


330  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

somewhere  tliereabouts  there  was  an  occupant,  for 
he  heard  the  crooning  sound  of  a  darky  song.  War 
is  the  foe  of  conventionality,  and,  never  stopping  to 
knock,  the  soldier  strode  across  the  threshold.  Here 
there  were  signs  of  life  and  action,  for  a  brisk  fire 
blazed  in  the  stove,  and  pots  and  kettles  gave  forth 
the  appetizing  odor  of  a  bounteous  supper.  Then 
from  the  depths  of  the  cellar  the  darky  song  came 
crooning  nigher,  a  woolly  head,  enveloped  in  glaring 
bandana,  hove  in  sight  up  the  mouldering  stairs,  and 
two  staring,  goggle  eyes  met  his  in  evident  disap- 
probation. 

"I  am  looking  for  one  of  my  men  who  came  up 
here  a  few  minutes " 

"I  doan'  know  nuthin'  'bout  your  men,"  was  the 
instant  interruption  of  Aunt  Chloe.  ^Xord  knows 
we'se  had  trouble  'nuf  between  the  lot  of  'em,"  yet, 
with  odd  inconsistency,  added,  ''Wha's  he  like,  any- 
way?" 

"Tall,  fine-looking  young  fellow — handsome,  I 
suppose  you'd  call  him.  Don't  look  like — most  of 
us." 

"I  ain't  seen  nuffin'  handsome  since  Marse  Fairfax 
and  Marse  Ralph,  an'  such  gen'lemen,  was  wid  us," 
was  Aunt  Chloe's  almost  disdainful  answer.  "Go 
long!    You're  only  lookin'  for  somefin'  to  eat." 

But  the  sound  of  the  colloquy  had  attracted  others 
to  the  spot," — ^two  others, — for  the  hall  door  sud- 
denly opened  and,  to  the  amaze  of  the  trooper  ser- 
geant, two  young  women,  winsome,  sweet,  attrac- 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  331 

tive  young  women,  prettily  gowned,  as  even  he 
could  see,  ladies,  as  he  knew  at  a  glance,  stood  there 
at  the  threshold,  looking  not  unkindly  down  at  him. 
In  an  instant  off  came  his  cap. 

"I  beg  your  pardon,"  he  faltered,  "but  I  had  to 
come  up  to  inquire  if  anything  had  been  seen  of  one 
of  my  men  who  wandered  up  here  a  while  ago.  It 
is  time  for  us  to  be  moving." 

''You  are  cavalry,  are  you  not?"  asked  the  nearest. 
"!N^o  cavalry  soldiers  have  been  near  here  since  we 
came  a  few  days  ago.  We  have  infantry  guards  at 
night  and  some  crippled  soldiers  whom  my  mother 
nursed  long  months  ago.     They  are  all  out  in  front." 

"Thank  you,  miss.  I'll  hunt  them  up,"  began  Ser- 
geant Black,  backing  towards  the  door.  "I  didn't 
mean  to  intrude." 

But  it  was  Miss  Ileatherwood's  turn  to  inquire. 
TIalf-timidly  she  asked,  "AVhat  command — what 
regiment  is  yours?"  and  her  soft  eyes  were  full  of 
interest,  even  of  anxiety,  as  she  spoke. 

" — th  Regulars,  miss.  Major  Foul  weather  was 
commanding.  We've  brought  him  here,  sick,  to  the 
hospital  below." 

And  now  a  sudden  flush  leaped  to  the  questioner's 
face.  Then,  though  an  eager  light  shone  in  her 
eyes,  the  color  died  away  and  left  her  pale.  "What 
was  he  like — this — soldier? — what  was  his  name?" 
she  faltered.  And  in  surprise,  if,  indeed,  no  other 
emotion  moved  her,  the  fair  girl  by  her  side  looked 
suddenly,  searchingly,  into  Miss  Ileatherwood's  face. 


332  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

"A  tall,  fine-looking  fellow,  miss,  with  blue  eyes 
and  handsome  face, — Bell  he  calls  himself." 

"Oh,  no.,  no! — iSTo,  indeed!"  was  the  hurried 
answer.  "I'm-^I'm  sure  no  such  person  has  been 
here;  and  I  would  know  him.  He  has  been  here, 
you  know.  It  was  he  who  saved  the  gun  the  day 
Stuart's  men  so  nearly  got  it." 

"The  very  man,  miss.  There's  no  better  when  it 
comes  to  fighting.  But  this  isn't  the  first  time  we've 
lost  him,  and  there'll  be  trouble  if  he  leaves  us  now, 
when  every  man  is  needed." 

And  still  silently,  searchingly.  Miss  Heather- 
wood's  companion,  a  fair-haired,  blue-eyed  girl, 
whose  garb  told  of  recent  mourning,  gazed  fixedly 
into  Miss  Heatherwood's  face,  and  noted  the  signs  of 
agitation  there  and  in  the  rapid  rise  and  fall  of  her 
bosom. 

Then  with  sudden  effort,  and  as  though  conscious 
of  scrutiny.  Miss  Heatherwood,  despite  her  fluttering 
heart,  rushed  into  eager  question  again.  "Can  you 
give  us  any  news,  sergeant?  Can  you  tell  us  where 
Stuart  has  gone?  or  when  we  can  get  back  to  Balti- 
more? Secretary  Stanton  gave  us  permission  to 
spend  only  three  days  here,  and,  when  we  tried  to 
return,  Stuart  had  cut  the  railway  to  Baltimore. 
The  horses  we  hired  at  Frederick  are  gone,  we  don't 
know  where.  My  mother  has  sent  word  of  our 
plight  to  the  commanding  officer  at  the  nearest  camp, 
but  no  help  has  come,  and  my  friend  here.  Miss 
Lowndes,  should  have  joined  her  father  in  Wash- 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  333 

ington  yesterday.  We  have  sent  our  old  negro  ser- 
vant to  Frederick  to  hire  anything  on  wheels  that 
will  carry  us,  with  one  trunk,  for  mother's  word  was 
pledged  to  the  general  commanding  at  Balti- 
more  " 

"Will  the  ladies  ride  in  an  ambulance,  behind 
army  mules?"  was  the  sergeant's  eager  inquiry,  as  he 
stood  buttoning  his  trooper  jacket,  hitherto  thrown 
open  at  the  throat  and  chest.  "We  have  the  ambu- 
lance that  brought  Major  Foul  weather.  We  can 
take  you  to  Frederick,  and  then  you  can  go  by  first 
train  to  Baltimore." 

"Oh,  most  gladly!  most  gratefully!  Could  you 
wait  just  a  moment  until  I  can  tell  my  mother?" 
asked  Miss  Heatherwood.  "We'll  be  ready  almost 
any  time  you  say,  if  she  approve." 

And  Sergeant  Black  said  he  would  wait,  indeed 
must  wait,  until  he  had  found  out  about  Bell,  and 
with  a  scraping  bow  that,  in  its  very  awkwardness 
and  spurry  entangling  of  his  dusty  boots,  was  the 
acme  of  soldier  devotion,  he  hastened  past  Aunt 
Chloe  and  around  to  the  front  of  the  house,  where, 
dozing  and  chatting  under  the  now  dingy  portico, 
were  three  or  four  of  the  old  hands,  men  too  reduced 
by  camp  ailments  or  long-unhealed  wounds  to  be 
ordered  back  to  the  front,  and  of  them  he  sought, 
all  unsuccessfully,  tidings  of  the  missing  trooper. 

Meantime,  Miss  Heatherwood  had  scurried  up  the 
back  staircase,  her  companion  more  slowly  follow- 
ing, and  tapped  lightly  at  the  door  of  her  mother's 


334  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

room.  Grief,  anxiety,  and  care  had  so  told  upon  the 
aging,  loving  gentlewoman,  that  night  or  day,  when- 
ever possible,  sleep  had  been  enjoined  upon  her  as 
nature's  best  restorer,  and  never  would  they  sud- 
denly arouse  her.  No  answer  came.  Noiselessly 
the  daughter  opened  the  door  and  peered  within. 
The  bed  was  unoccupied,  the  lounge  as  well.  The 
room  was  without  a  tenant.  Hastily  Miss  Heather- 
wood  searched  the  upper  floor,  calling  "Mother!"  as 
she  did  so,  but  without  success.  A  shawl  was  miss- 
ing, and  it  was  evident  that  while  the  girls  were  busy 
with  their  own  affairs  earlier  in  the  long  afternoon, 
the  gentle  mother  had  slipped  quietly  out  of  the 
house.  A  sudden  light  dawned  on  the  daughter 
and  shone  in  her  brightening  eyes. 

"Stay  here,  Florence,  dear.  I  know  where  she's 
gone,"  she  cried,  her  excitement  manifest  in  the 
glowing  cheeks,  and,  darting  through  the  kitchen, 
she  sped  swiftly  along  a  winding  path  through  the 
shrubbery,  down  the  slope  to  the  north  of  the  home- 
stead. Half-way  down  was  a  little  arbor  and  rustic 
seat,  once  a  favorite  resort,  but  now  dismantled,  if 
not  well-nigh  ruined,  and  there,  smiling  through  a 
veil  of  tears,  her  mother  slowly  rose  to  greet  her, 
while  a  broad-shouldered  form  in  dusty  blue  burst 
through  the  shrubbery  beyond  and  fairly  leaped  out 
of  sight  in  the  shelter  of  the  grove. 

That  lovely  June  evening,  an  hour  after  sunset, 
the  dust-covered  ambulance  drove  away  down  the 
winding    road    escorted    by  Sergeant  Black  and  a 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  335 

single  trooper,  the  former  mystified  beyond  expres- 
sion and  unable  to  say  a  word.  Miss  Heatherwood 
had  so  eagerly  accepted  his  offer  to  convoy  the  little 
party  to  Frederick  that  he  expected  similar  alacrity 
on  part  of  the  mother,  and  was  surprised  at  the 
length  of  time  that  elapsed  before  her  appearance. 
Then  her  gentle,  appealing  voice  and  manner 
charmed  him  at  once,  as  it  did  everybody,  and  the 
rough  soldier  stood  respectfully  attentive  to  her 
words.  By  this  time  he  realized  that  this  was  the 
woman  of  whom  so  many  a  comrade,  regular  or 
volunteer,  had  spoken  with  blessing  on  his  bearded 
lips.  Gladly  she  availed  herself  of  the  offer,  yet 
there  was  embarrassment,  hesitancy,  something- 
amiss,  and  at  last,  as  the  girls  seemed  to  cling  about 
her,  she  stepped  with  him  through  Chloe's  oft-in- 
vaded sanctum,  and  he  saw  and  they  saw  she  had 
that  to  say  to  him  which  others  should  not  hear. 

"I  have  a  favor  to  ask  you,  sergeant.  We  can  be 
ready  to  start  in  half  an  hour,  if  need  be,  but  all  the 
roads  from  Edward's  Ferry  towards  Frederick  would 
be  crowded  with  marching  columns.  Delay  will  be 
inevitable.  Trooper  Bell  is  with  you.  AVill  you 
tell  him  at  once  we  are  to  go  with  you  in  your  ambu- 
lance, and  bid  him  ride  ahead  and  notify  my  rela- 
tives, the  Tighlmans,  that  we  are  coming?  He 
knows  their  home." 

And  then  Black  recalled  the  vague  rumors  he  had 
heard  in  the  troop  about  Beau  Bell's  long  sojourn  at 
this  very  spot,  and  knew  that  he  must  be  another  of 
Madam  Heatherwood's  grateful  patients. 


336         THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

"He  shall  go  if  I  can  find  him,"  was  the  prompt 
answer. 

"'You  will  find  him,"  was  the  confident  reply. 
"He  was  here  to  see  me,  bnt  there  are  reasons  why 
mj  children,  and  she  smiled  fondly  as  she  included 
Florence  in  the  endearing  word,  "should  not  know 
of  it  to-night." 

Hastening  back  to  the  field-hospital,  the  sergeant 
found  that  Trooper  Bell  was  there  on  hand  as  Mrs. 
Heatherwood  had  predicted.  There  was  no  time  for 
rebuke.  Bell  received  his  instructions  with  evident 
surprise,  but  without  a  word.  He  quickly  saddled, 
mounted,  and  rode  away  while  the  ambulance  was 
being  hitched.  A  tempting  supper  was  set  for  Black 
and  his  comrade  in  the  dining-room  when  they  ar- 
rived, and,  despite  their  soldier  rations  not  so  long 
before,  they  could  not  turn  from  Aunt  Chloe's 
chicken  and  coffee.  At  eight  they  drove  briskly 
away  with  their  preciovis  freight,  not  ten  minutes 
before  a  lieutenant  and  a  dozen  men  from  the  aque- 
duct guard  came  clambering  up  the  westward  slope. 
"Gone?"  said  the  officer,  in  dismay,  responding  to 
the  brief  announcement  of  a  crutch-propj)ed  invalid. 
"Why,  my  God!  I've  just  come  with  orders  to  see 
that  they  don't  go!  They're  to  be  taken  to  Wash- 
ington under  guard  to-mon-ow." 

An  hour  later,  plodding  slowly  along  up  the  Mo- 
nocacy  Valley,  hemmed  in,  front  and  rear,  by  solid 
columns  of  dusty  troopers,  many  of  them  sleeping 
in  saddle,  the  occupants  of  the  ambulance  heard  the 
oft  repeated  caution  "Halt!"   and  for  the  twentieth 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  337 

time  they  stopped  a  moment  before  trundling  on 
again.  The  open  door-way  of  the  uncouth  vehicle 
was  towards  the  southeast,  and  the  horse  of  the 
squadron  commander  following  dropped  his  weary 
head  and  rubbed  his  nose  against  the  sill.  Then  a 
voice  was  heard  to  break  the  silence:  "Lieutenant, 
ain't  that  a  fire  back  yonder?" 

"More'n  likely,"  w^as  the  weary  answer.  "Fires 
are  frequent  enough,  God  knows." 

Miss  Heatherwood  was  supporting  her  mother's 
head  upon  her  shoulder  at  the  moment,  but  the  latter 
was  up  in  an  instant,  and  together  they  edged  to  the 
door-way  and  gazed  out  into  the  night. 

Away  to  the  south  a  dull-red  glare  was  spreading 
over  the  horizon,  and  the  southwest  slope  of  Sugar 
Loaf  gleamed  through  the  blackness  of  the  night, 
its  jagged  side  aglow  with  the  reflected  blaze.  Each 
moment  the  reflection  grew  stronger.  Then,  as 
though  fresh  flame  had  burst  through  wooden  roof 
or  wall,  the  rolling  smoke  cloud  drifting  eastward 
glowed  with  sudden  force,  and  even  the  distant 
heights  at  Point  of  Kocks  threw  back  the  ruddy 
sheen.  Then  high  aloft  over  the  valley  a  pillar  of 
fire  soared  into  the  southern  sky,  and  from  within 
the  hooded  wagon  in  his  front  the  squadron  leader 
heard  a  woman's  sob  and  the  half-stifled  words, 
"^Mother,  it's  Heatherwood!  Oh,  I  know  it's 
Ileatherw^ood!" 

And  then,  growlingly  repeated  down  the  column, 
came  the  same  relentless  order, — "Forward!" 


CHAPTEK  XXIV. 

Fiercely  over  the  smoke-crowned  ridge  tlie  mid- 
day sun  is  beating  down.  Far  as  the  eye  can  pene- 
trate the  eddying,  sulphurous  mist  to  north  or  south, 
black-muzzled  guns  are  rudely  aligned,  some  along 
the  relics  of  stone  wall,  now  splintered  in  a  hundred 
places,  rent  by  solid  shot  and  shell,  some  at  the  edge 
of  the  westward  slope.  There  is  a  throb  and  concus- 
sion in  every  second  borne  on  the  heated  air  from 
across  the  low,  flat  valley,  seamed  diagonally  by  a 
broad,  straight  road,  dotted  towards  the  southward 
with  two  or  three  farm-houses  of  stone,  all  more  or 
less  shattered,  and  one  of  them — the  nearest — 
ablaze.  A  cloud-bank  of  pale  blue,  perhaps  a  mile 
away,  spans  the  valley  at  the  west  and  extends  from 
far  down  to  the  left  away  up  to,  around,  and  beyond 
a  cluster  of  roofs  and  walls,  of  wood  and  stone,  nest- 
ling in  the  heart  of  the  northward  valley.  Here, 
there,  and  everywhere  that  opposite  line  of  low- 
hanging  smoke  cloud  is  rent  and  torn  from  beyond 
by  dazzling  flashes  of  fire.  The  heavens  give  echo 
to  incessant  roar  and  thunder  from  the  trembling 
earth.  The  quivering  air  is  pierced  by  scores  of 
shrieking  demons  that,  unseen  in  their  flight,  come 
plunging  like  death-dealing  meteors  among  the  silent 

batteries,    or   bursting   in   mid-air,    with  flame   and 
338 


THE   GENERALS  DOUBLE.  339 

crash,  into  hissing  fragments  that  tear  their  waj 
earthward  or  fly  far  over  the  fertile  plateau  that 
stretches  away  in  graceful  undulations  until 
hemmed  by  the  line  of  distant  forest  at  the  east. 
Only  the  week  before  this  very  spot  was  the  scene  of 
rural,  peaceful  beauty;  this  placid  old  Pennsylvania 
village  drowsed  in  the  summer  sunshine  tliroughout 
the  long  June  day;  the  blue  hills,  stretching  from 
Maryland  away  northeastward  to  the  Susquehanna, 
framed  the  lovely  picture  towards  the  setting  sun; 
the  cattle  browsed  in  the  sloping  fields  in  the  long 
shadows  of  the  leafy  groves;  the  birds  sang  to 
heaven  their  pseans  of  rejoicing  from  morn  till 
night;  the  cloud  shadows  sailed  over  waving  fields 
of  wheat  and  bearded  rye,  and  deepened  the  dark- 
green  foliage  of  the  orchards;  the  farm  boys  whis- 
tled at  their  tasks,  and  around  the  tavern  porch  at 
eve  the  honest  burghers  told  their  tales  of  how  last 
October  they  and  the  home  guards  sent  the  rebel 
raiders — Jeb  Stuart's  cavalry — "flyin'  out  of  the 
valley  and  back  to  Virginia  where  they  belonged." 
Yes,  all  Gettysburg  believed  it  was  the  sight  of  the 
undaunted  front  of  the  local  militia  that  bade  the 
triumphant  Southron  pause  in  his  mad  career  of  de- 
struction, and  history  records  the  fact  that  not  until 
his  advance  rode  into  sight  of  the  steeple  of  the  old 
Dutch  church  did  Stuart  turn  and  hark  back  full 
speed  for  the  Potomac.  But  a  different  tale  is  being- 
told  to-day.  Stuart,  once  more  riding  and  raiding 
through  southern  Pennsylvania,  has  passed  far  be- 


340  THE  GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

}^ond,  gone  awaj  northward  to  the  bridges  of  the 
Susquehanna  by  way  of  York  on  one  side,  while  one- 
Jegged  Ewell,  with  Jackson's  old  "foot  cavalry,"  has 
trudged  every  inch  of  the  way  to  Carlisle  on  the 
other;  and  June  goes  out  with  famous  John  Buford 
and  his  devoted  troopers  jogging  through  the  now 
alarmed  and  bustling  town,  bent  on  seizing  the  roads 
to  the  west  and  on  "lighting  like  the  devil"  to  head 
off  these  advancing  hosts,  until  Reynolds  with  the 
left  wing  of  the  army  can  come  up  to  his  aid.  Two 
days  of  mortal  grappling,  of  desperate  hand  to  hand 
fighting,  have  turned  the  old  town  and  all  the  fields 
and  slopes,  groves  and  orchards,  into  morgues  or 
hospitals,  and  now  at  last  has  come  the  time  for  Lee's 
supreme  effort.  One  after  another,  in  assault  after 
assault,  Ewell,  Hill,  Hood,  and  Longstreet  have  been 
hurled  back  from  the  rocky  flanks  of  that  stem  blue 
line;  and  now  it  recalls  the  old  guard  at  Waterloo, 
for  the  great  A^irginian,  the  idol  of  the  Southern 
host,  calls  on  Virginia  to  do  what  other  States  have 
failed  to  do.  He  sends  Stuart,  returned  at  this 
eleventh  hour,  to  burst  through  the  thin  veil  of  cav- 
alry out  on  the  Union  right  and  sweep  down  upon 
the  trains,  reserve  batteries,  and  the  rear  of  the  bat- 
tling line,  while  Pickett,  with  that  glorious  division 
of  Virginians,  held  in  leash  until  the  very  last,  led 
in  brigades  by  such  knightly  soldiers  as  Armistead, 
Garnett,  and  Kemper,  and  supported  on  the  right 
and  left  by  brigades  and  divisions  less  famous,  per- 
haps, yet  made  up  of  fighting  men  under  tried  and 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.    '  341 

skilful  leaders, — Pickett  is  ordered  to  pierce  that 
blue  line  at  the  centre,  then  sweep  it  from  the  crest. 

For  two  mortal  hours,  as  preliminary,  the  fiercest 
cannonade  ever  heard  on  the  "Western  Continent  has 
shaken  the  earth  and  rent  the  heavens.  For  two  mor- 
tal hours  a  rain  of  bursting  shells  has  poured  upon  the 
long,  low  ridge  fringed  by  the  Union  guns.  Provi- 
dence thus  far  has  sided  with  the  South,  for  the  soft 
Avind  from  the  northeast  has  banked  the  smoke  down 
in  the  valley  in  front  of  the  guns  of  Lee,  blazing 
along  a  line  two  miles  in  length,  while  on  the  higher 
crest,  where  stand  the  Union  batteries,  it  floats  away, 
leaving  them  exposed  to  view.  From  the  slopes  be- 
hind their  guns  the  Confederate  generals  can  see 
the  effect  of  their  fire,  and  direct  such  changes  in 
elevation  as  may  be  needed,  while  the  Union  guns 
have  had  only  the  smoke-bank  at  which  to  aim,  yet 
their  response  has  been  deadly.  AVise  leaders  have 
solved  the  meaning  of  this  tremendous  long-range 
battling,  however.  It  is  but  the  overture  to  a  terri- 
ble drama  soon  to  begin,  and  Hunt,  chief  of  artillery 
of  the  Potomac  army,  has  ridden  along  his  flashing 
line  ordering  "Cease  firing!"  Ammunition  must  be 
saved,  guns  must  cool,  or  there  will  be  failure  in  the 
hour  of  greater  need. 

And  now,  towards  three  o'clock  of  the  hot  July 
day,  a  silence  ominous  and  forbidding  has  followed 
the  furious  clamor,  a  silence  broken  only  by  the  low- 
toned  words  of  command,  or  the  moan  of  almost 
countless  sufferers  borne  from  among  the  guns  to 


342  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

where  the  surgeons,  red  armed,  ply  knife  and  saw  in^ 
the  charnel  pits  at  the  rear.  Havoc  and  destruction 
have  reigned  among  the  batteries.  Here  and  there  a 
shattered  wheel  or  axle  has  dropped  a  cannon  on 
the  foremost  line,  but  it  is  among  the  limbers  and 
caissons  at  their  back  that  the  effects  of  the  furious 
shelling  is  most  apparent.  Horses  lie  with  stiffening, 
outstretched  legs  in  bloody  heaps,  some  few  still 
madly  plunging  in  their  agony.  Here  and  there  a 
wreck  of  splinters  tells  where  some  ammunition- 
chest  has  exploded  and  wrought  death  and  mutilation 
on  every  side.  Mopping  the  black  sweat  from  their 
swollen  faces,  brawny  men  in  shirt  sleeves  have 
thrown  themselves  upon  the  ground  among  the  guns, 
others  are  clustered  sadly  about  some  dying  comrade, 
others  kneel  in  soldier  grief  at  the  side  of  the  dead. 
All  along  the  line  of  the  ridge  behind  the  batteries, 
crowding  into  the  rare  intervals,  battalions  of  in- 
fantry sorely  reduced  in  numbers  are  lying  prone  to 
escape  as  much  as  possible  the  hissing  fragments  of 
the  shells.  Out  in  a  little  grove  south  of  the  still 
smoking  guns  of  Gushing  and  Woodruff  a  new  bri- 
gade has  been  stationed,  and  these  Green  Mountain 
boys  take  their  baptism  of  fire  with  awe  and  wonder- 
ment; yet,  confident  of  their  leader's  judgment,  hold 
their  ground  like  veterans.  Away  to  the  left  on  the 
rocky  sides  of  the  Round  Tops  there  is  a  flutter  of 
color  over  jagged  ranks  of  dark  blue,  that  promises 
the  wearied  line  along  the  ridge  that  no  enfilade  can 
corae  from  that  quarter,  and  the  gray-clad  bodies 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  343 

stiffening  among  the  rocks  in  the  gorges  at  their  base, 
or  among  the  trees  of  the  curving  heights  at  the 
north,  tell  how  fierce  was  the  Southern  effort  to  force 
a  way  on  both  fianks, — and  how  ineffectual.  In  rear 
of  the  line  are  occasional  groups  of  horsemen,  though 
most  ofiicers  are  dismounted, — common  sense  dic- 
tating where  Confederate  shells  do  not;  yet  there  are 
generals  and  staft'-officers  already  again  in  saddle, 
sure  of  vigorous  work  ahead.  Some  have  not  dis- 
mounted at  all,  even  in  the  storm  of  missiles;  others 
are  quietly  mounting  now,  for  the  fury  of  the  can- 
nonade is  over,  the  fire  is  dying  out.  The  great 
drama  of  the  day  is  coming;  it  is  time  to  reset  the 
stage. 

Hancock,  superb  as  ever,  rides  among  his  faithful 
men  and  reins  in  his  horse  to  say  a  word  of  cordial 
greeting  to  the  heavily  bearded  brigade  commander 
who,  seated  on  an  ammunition  chest,  is  stoically  sub- 
mitting to  the  reslinging  and  dressing  of  an  arm 
severely  lacerated  in  the  fierce  battling  of  the  day 
before.  A  soldier  every  inch  of  him,  despite  his 
years  of  plodding  at  the  law,  Colonel  Clark  insists 
on  his  right  and  his  ability  to  lead  his  men  this  vital 
day,  though  it  may  be  months  before  he  can  again 
draw  sword.  Spurring  uj)  from  the  Round  Tops 
another  brigade  commander,  whose  sash  and  stars 
have  not  yet  known  the  tarnish  of  the  battle  smoke, 
eagerly  accosts  the  famous  leader  of  the  Second 
Corps,  and  out  goes  Hancock's  hand  in  welcome: 

"Belden,  this  is  glorious!  How  did  you  reach  us? 
Is  vour  brio-ade  here?" 


344        THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

"^N'ot  Yct  organized,  general.  I  was  doing  duty  in 
Baltimore,  but  got  permission  by  telegraph  to  join, 
and  rode  out  from  Westminster  this  morninc."' 
Curious  eyes  following  the  new-comer  mark  how 
like  to  Hancock  is  the  young  general.  "Just  as 
though  they  were  brothers  with  not  ten  years  differ- 
ence in  their  ages,"  says  Clark  to  himself,  as,  to- 
gether, the  two  stalwart  soldiers  ride  away  in  search 
of  General  Meade,  for  Eelden  comes  to  tender  his 
sword  and  services  in  any  capacity,  and  there  is  need, 
sore  need,  of  every  man  the  Union  can  throw  into 
the  fighting  line,  and  the  time  is  drawing  nigh. 

Three  o'clock,  and  now  at  last  the  Southern  guns 
are  still,  and  slowly,  very  slowly,  the  smoke  veil 
drifts  aside,  goes  sailing  out  of  the  valley  into  the 
opposite  woods,  and  so  the  curtain  rises  on  the  last 
great  act,  of  the  last  great  day, — the  climax  of 
Gettysburg  has  come. 

Away  down  to  the  left,  out  beyond  the  orchard 
from  which  Sickles  yesterday  was  driven  with  such 
heavy  loss,  a  new  division  has  moved  silently  for- 
ward, and  as  the  smoke  cloud  lifts,  and  anxious,  hag- 
gard, yet  fiercely  gleaming  eyes  peer  forth  to  the  dis- 
tant fields  beyond  the  pike,  in  two  long  extended 
lines,  five  thousand  soldiery  in  dingy  gray  can  be  dis- 
cerned, crouching  or  lying  upon  the  shot-ploughed 
turf.  Almost  two-thirds  of  a  mile  in  length  in  line  of 
battle,  five  to  six  thinned  regiments  to  each,  are  two 
brigades  easily  distinguishable  by  the  bits  of  color 
where  at  regular  intervals  the  St.  Andrew's  cross 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  345 

flutters  on  the  dull  red  of  the  Southern  battle-flags, 
and  by  the  grouj)s  of  horses  that,  in  rear  of  each  com- 
mand, tell  where  regimental  and  brigade  leaders  are 
waiting  with  their  few  staff-officers  the  signal  for 
action.  Back  of  them,  three  hundred  yards  or  so,  a 
third  brigade,  also  in  long  extended  line,  stretches 
from  north  to  south.  It  is  Pickett's  magnificent  di- 
vision, all  Virginians,  Kemper  and  Garnett  com- 
manding the  foremost  line,  Armistead  the  second, — 
gallant  fellows,  one  and  all.  Only  this  morning 
have  they  reached  the  field,  fresh  and  confident, — 
men  who  never  yet  have  been  denied  when  it  came 
to  headlong  attack,  and  Lee  has  called  on  these,  his 
"statesmen,"  his  neighbors  and  friends,  his  kith  and 
kin,  to  perforin  the  last  supreme  act  of  devotion,  to 
charge  and  pierce  that  wearied  Union  line  at  its  very 
centre,  to  burst  through  the  barrier  that  blocks  their 
march  to  the  cities  of  the  ISTorth,  or  to  die  in  the 
desperate  yet  glorious  effort. 

And  that  Pickett  may  have  ample  support  in  an 
assault  that  all  men  know  must  be  hazardous  in  the 
extreme,  and  may  be  disastrous,  Wilcox  with  his 
strong  brigade  is  ordered  to  cover  him  on  the  right, 
the  southern  flank,  and  Wilcox  at  this  moment  it  is 
who  leads  forward  his  lines  from  the  skirt  of  the 
woods,  from  under  the  shelter  of  the  guns  set  almost 
hub  to  hub  along  the  opposite  slope,  and  once  clear 
of  the  batteries  halts  his  command  even  farther  back 
than  Armistead,  to  await  the  movement  of  the  Vir- 
ginians.    On  Pickett's  left,  or  northern,  flank,  too. 


34G  THE   GEN  ERA  VS  DOUBLE. 

iie  must  have  strong  support,  and  here  no  less  than 
six  brigades,  led  by  fellows  who  have  already  been 
fighting  hard,  are  slowly  pushed  forward  into  one 
long  line  of  battle  whose  front  is  covered  by  a  heavy 
force  of  skirmishers  that  come  well  up  to  the  pike 
and  almost  under  the  silent  breastworks  towards  the 
northern  flank  of  the  Union  position.  These  men 
are  mainly  Xorth  Carolinians,  Pettigrew  com- 
manding, and  it  is  their  formation  that  reveals  to 
keen-eyed  Hancock  and  his  alert  subordinates  that 
the  main  attack  will  come  at  the  centre  of  the  line, 
right  out  here  at  Ziegier's  grove,  directly  in  front, 
probably,  of  that  protruding  clump  of  trees  where 
Stannard  and  his  Green  Mountain  boys  are  kneeling, 
and  here  where  Andy  Webb's  Pennsylvanians,  back 
of  the  stone  wall,  are  aligned  in  front  of  Cushing's 
guns.  Only  slender  ranks  are  here  to  meet  them, 
yet  the  whole  western  front  of  the  Union  line  is 
threatened  by  the  dispositions  of  Lee,  and  not  until 
the  attack  is  centred  on  some  section  of  the  crest  is  it 
safe  to  order  one  single  regiment  to  move  or  leave  its 
post  in  order  to  strengthen  some  other. 

Aye!  There  it  comes,  some  unheard  signal  from 
across  the  vale,  ]^o  one  can  see  Pickett's  solemn 
farewell  to  Longstreet  or  read  the  grief  and  reluc- 
tance in  that  veteran's  face.  He  cannot,  will  not, 
give  assent  to  an  assault  he  deems  a  hopeless  sacrifice. 
It  is  Lee's  order,  and  that  is  all  sufficient.  Down 
towards  the  pike  are  the  smouldering  ruins  of  an  old 
farm-house  and  its  outlying  haystacks,  the  spot  where 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  317 

Humphreys's  line  was  so  fiercely  battling  but  the 
day  before.  There  in  heaps  lie  the  swelling  car- 
casses of  Seely's  horses,  just  where  they  dropped  in 
rear  of  his  heated  guns,  and  beyond  that  scene  of  lire 
and  carnage,  and  beyond  the  death-strewn  pike,  as 
one  man  Pickett's  division  springs  to  its  feet  and  the 
next  instant  is  seen  to  be  in  motion.  Shimmering 
through  the  burning  heat  of  the  July  sun,  with  the 
gleam  of  sloping  muskets,  the  flutter  of  proudly 
carried  banners,  the  rhythmic  swing  of  marching- 
veterans,  yonder  comes  a  battle-picture  that  will  live 
forever  in  the  eyes  of  those  who  gazed  this  vital  day, 
that  will  go  down  in  history  as  the  grandest  pageant 
of  an  immortal  struggle.  Saluted  by  the  guns  on 
Little  Round  Top,  almost  instantly  followed  by 
many  another  along  the  Union  lines,  superbly  indif- 
ferent to  all,  Pickett's  Virginians,  as  though  on 
division  drill,  begin  their  stately  "jDassage  of  the 
lines,"  and  in  utter  silence,  in  cadenced  step  despite 
the  shells  that  burst  above  their  devoted  heads  and 
shower  them  with  whirring  fragments,  they  pursue 
their  chosen  course.  Steadily,  aye,  with  almost  dis- 
dainful deliberation,  they  move  north  towards  Petti- 
grew's  waiting  ranks,  and  not  until  opposite  the 
centre  of  the  Union  line  do  they  form  column  of 
attack.  Here  Kemper,  throwing  out  a  strong  veil  of 
skirmishers,  is  seen  to  have  halted.  A  broad  gap 
begins  to  ya%vn  between  him  and  his  comrade  bri- 
gade, and  into  this  gap,  up  from  the  rear,  calm  and 
unhurried,   marches  Armistead;     and   now,   in   the 


348         THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

proud  old  order  of  attack  tliey  love  so  well  and  have 
essayed  so  often,  the  three  brigades,  their  foremost 
regiments  aligned,  once  more  are  given  the  word, 
and  Pickett  and  his  splendid  legion  are  facing  their 
soldier  fate.  Hearts  beat  hard  and  lips  are  com- 
pressed. No  sound  comes  from  the  serried  lines,  but 
the  remorseless  tramp,  tramp  of  near  ten  thousand, 
and  the  half-stifled  groan  with  which  some  poor  fel- 
low pitches  heavily  forward,  or  the  awful,  inde- 
scribable, crunching,  crushing  whish  and  whirr  with 
which  huge  fragments  of  iron  tear  through  the 
stern,  solid  ranks,  rending  flesh  and  bone,  sweeping 
away  files  and  sections,  yet  never  checking  the  calm, 
steadfast,  indomitable  majesty  of  that  matchless 
advance.  "Good  God,  isn't  it  superb!"  is  the  cry 
that  goes  ujd  everywhere  among  the  watchers  at  the 
Round  Tops  and  the  sheltered  right;  but  along  the 
stone  walls  and  among  the  black-mouthed  guns  that 
line  the  threatened  crest,  grimy  fellows  in  long  ranks 
of  blue  grip  tight  their  fresh-capped  rifles  and  whis- 
per, "Remember  Fredericksburg," 

And  now  Kem])er  is  across  the  pike  and  his  right 
swings  out  to  pass  the  flaming  ruins  at  Cadori's,  and 
as  Armistead's  men  breast  the  low  ridge  of  the  road- 
Avay  that  crosses  their  front,  and  Garnett,  too,  comes 
sturdily  tramping  over,  all  the  Union  guns  in  front 
of  them  depress  the  muzzles,  and  canister  is  rammed 
home  in  place  of  shell.  Another  minute  and  that 
superb  sacrifice  will  be  within  the  range  of  the 
lighter  missiles;   but  all  of  a  sudden,  to  the  wonder- 


THE   GENERA VS  DOUBLE.  349 

ment  of  a  wliole  army,  the  division  lialts  in  its  tracks; 
Pickett  finds  it  is  heading  a  little  south  of  the  point 
he  is  ordered  to  probe,  and  right  there  on  that  open 
slope,  deluged  with  shot  and  shell  from  guns  that 
rake  his  ranks  from  right  to  left  or  hurl  them  in 
the  very  faces  of  his  men,  the  Virginia  leader  dares 
to  order,  as  though  on  drill,  an  oblique  change  of 
front,  a  sort  of  left  half-wheel  that  brings  Kemper's 
southern  Hank  almost  agraze  of  the  little  grove 
wherein,  still  silent,  Stannard  holds  his  breathless 
Vernionters.  Then  once  more,  "ForAvard!"  is 
sounded,  and  now  may  God  be  with  the  right!  for 
despite  the  storm  of  shot  and  shell  that  has  strewn 
their  bloody  path  with  dead  and  wounded,  deter- 
mined, undaunted,  magnificent  in  their  disciplined 
daring  and  devotion,  the  brigades  resume  their  grand 
advance,  still  so  strong  in  numbers,  so  glorious  in 
their  faith  in  one  another  and  in  their  leaders,  that 
victory  and  triumph  seeni  perched  upon  their  waving 
banners,  and  the  thin  blue  line  that  spans  the  crest 
must  burst  asunder  or  be  brushed  away  before  the 
human  flood. 

Once  across  the  pike,  the  nimble  skinnishers  have 
been  recalled  and  at  the  run  go  darting  through  the 
narrow  intervals  between  the  ranks.  Over  the  dull 
gray  undulating  columns  a  dull  gray  cloud  is  hover- 
ing, half  sulphur  smoke  from  the  bursting  shells,  half 
powdery  dust  from  the  sun-baked  slope.  Only  four 
hundred  yards  away  now.  Already  half  the  mounted 
officers   are    unhorsed,    and    Armistead,    struggling 


350  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

from  underneatli  his  stricken  charger,  leaps  out  in 
front  as  thongh  to  show  his  devoted  men  no  shot  can 
harm  him,  and  with  hat  high  lifted  on  liis  sword- 
point,  exulting,  waves  them  on.  "ForAvard!  For- 
ward! Touch  to  the  centre!"  are  the  only  orders. 
Not  once  does  the  iron  discipline  relax;  not  once 
does  a  subdivision  halt  to  fire,  even  when  Kem- 
per's leading  battalions  come  abreast  of  Stannard's 
bristling  grove,  and  to  the  furious  barking  of  the 
double-shotted  guns  along  the  crest  is  added  the 
sudden  crash  of  musketry  on  the  right.  Even  now, 
with  company  commanders,  right  guides,  and  dozens 
of  gallant  fellows  tumbling  to  earth  under  the 
scorching  ambuscade,  even  now  the  proud  morale  of 
the  sons  of  that  historic  commonwealth  is  proof 
against  the  soldier  impulse  to  wheel  and  volley  into 
that  death- jetting  clump  of  timber.  Edge  away 
from  it  they  must,  for,  remorseless  still,  the  guns  of 
Gushing  tear  huge  gaps  in  the  nearing  front,  and 
with  every  stride  the  advancing  columns  narrow. 
Gallant  little  Gushing!  Mortally  wounded  though 
he  knows  himself  to  be,  mortally  wounded  as  is  his 
devoted  classmate.  Woodruff,  only  two  years  out  of 
West  Point,  they  fight  their  guns  to  the  very  last  and 
die  like  heroes  at  their  post  of  duty.  Three  hundred 
yards,  and  still  no  quickening  of  the  pace;  still  that 
steady,  measured,  inflexible  advance.  But  now 
comes  the  test  that  tells.  Webb,  mindful  of  the  tac- 
tics of  Bunker  Hill,  has  sternly  held  the  fire  of  his 
Pennsylvanians,    and    at    last   he   gives   the    word. 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  351 

Added  to  tlie  sputtering  crash  of  Stannard,  a  fierce 
volley  bursts  from  the  stone  wall,  and  the  gray  ranks 
reel  and  stagger,  the  battle-flags  are  bowed  one  in- 
stant, and  only  one,  for  now  at  last  the  spell  is 
broken,  now  at  last  the  word  is  given,  now  at  last  the 
thrilling  shout  of  "Charge!"  is  taken  up  and  echoed 
throughout  the  column,  and,  yelling  like  demons,  the 
Virginians  break  their  stern  array,  and  with  levelled 
bayonets  come  dashing  up  the  slope.  Huge  human 
wave,  rolling,  surging,  sweeping,  resistless  it  bursts 
and  breaks  upon  the  slim  barrier  at  the  edge,  where 
despite  blood-tipped  bayonets,  clubbed  muskets, 
hurtling  rocks, — every  device  of  hand  to  hand  com- 
bat,— the  blue  line  is  swallowed  up  and  washed  back- 
ward with  the  gray  as  over  the  wall  it  comes,  and  in 
among  the  smoking  guns  it  rolls,  while  afar  back 
across  tha,t  death-strewn  valley  mad  cheers  of  joy 
and  triumph  rend  the  heavens  and  the  mighty  heart 
of  Lee  wells  up  in  thanksgiving,  for  the  colors  of  his 
beloved  State  are  Avaving  frantically  over  the  cap- 
tured guns, — the  grand  assault  of  Pickett  has  pierced 
the  Union  line! 

O  short-lived  triumph!  O  bitter  close  to  all  that 
valiant  effort!  O  cruel,  fruitless  sacrifice  of  priceless 
blood  and  treasure !  With  half  her  number  prostrate 
along  the  path  or  stricken  here  among  the  foe,  Vir- 
ginia stands  alone  upon  the  summit  won  at  such  im- 
measurable cost.  AVilcox  has  wandered  with  his  bri- 
gade too  far  to  the  south  and  is  out  of  supporting 
distance;     Pettigrew's   Xorth   Carolinians   have   re- 


352  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

coiled  before  the  defenders  of  the  northward  ridge, 
and  the  ringing  chorus  of  victory  that  hails  the  sight 
of  Pickett's  battle-flags,  waving  on  yonder  flaming 
crest,  proves  but  the  knell  of  their  defeat.  Unsup- 
ported right  and  left,  they  are  hemmed  in  now  on 
three  sides  by  cheering  and  exultant  lines  in  blue. 
Hancock  and  Gibbon,  sore  wounded,  have  gone 
down  before  their  rush;  Webb's  temple  is  seamed 
by  their  hissing  lead;  hundreds  of  gallant  officers 
and  devoted  men  are  dying  among  the  Union  guns, 
but  all  to  no  purpose  for  the  cause  for  which  Vir- 
ginia battles.  Every  instant  adds  to  the  thronging 
numbers  of  her  foes.  One  after  another  the  wor- 
shipped battle-flags  are  dropping.  One  after  another 
the  beloved  leaders  are  missed.  Armistead  falls 
dying  on  Cushing's  body.  Garnett  is  shot  to  death 
at  the  wall.  Kemper,  severel}''  wounded,  is  being 
borne  by  crouching  comrades  back  down  the 
smoking  slope.  Colonels,  majors,  and  captains  by 
scores  are  gone,  and  only  a  little  remnant  of  the 
]iroud  division  hears  the  sternly  shouted  orders  to 
surrender.  They  have  done  their  best.  Never  in  all 
the  history  of  warfare  did  men  dare  or  do  more,  but 
they  are  all  exhausted  now.  Huddled  together, 
leaderless,  blind,  panting  in  the  hot,  stifling  smoke, 
surrounded  on  every  side  by  hostile  ranks,  by 
bearded,  blackened  faces  that  even  in  the  flame  and 
fury  of  battle  glow  with  admiration  of  such  un- 
daunted heroism  and  soften  with  pity  for  such  hap- 
less fate.    It  is  all  over.    The  cross  of  Saint  Andrew, 


THE  GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  353 

that  waved  so  madly  but  a  moment  ago,  droops  de- 
fenceless now.  One  by  one  the  rifle-stocks  are  lifted 
in  mournful  token  of  surrender,  and,  drifting  back- 
ward from  the  slope,  Pickett,  broken-liearted,  finds 
himself,  with  one  lieutenant-colonel  and  a  band  of 
stragglers,  all  that  is  left  of  Virginia's  grand  division, 
— all  that  is  left  but  a  name  that  can  never  die. 

In  the  solemn  joy  that  hovers  over  the  Avorn  and 
wearied  lines  on  Cemetery  Ridge  this  night  there  is 
no  sound  of  cheer  or  triumph.  Such  victory  costs 
too  dear.  At  sunset  a  young  Union  general,  bending 
over  the  dark,  pallid,  clear-cut  face  of  a  Virginia 
colonel,  motions  the  attendant  soldier  to  fall  back. 

"In  God's  name,  Fairfax,"  he  murmurs,  "why  did 
you  let  yourself  be  taken?  Do  you  not  realize  what 
is  hanging  over  you?" 

For  answer  the  prostrate  officer  draws  from  his 
holster  his  stained  revolver,  every  chamber  black 
and  empty.  "I  had  not  a  shot  left — for  myself. 
Your  bullets  would  not  hit  me.  It  was  the  butt  of  a 
musket  that  knocked  me  senseless.  I  had  hoped  to 
die  with  my  brave — my  murdered  boys." 


23 


CHAPTER    XXV. 

Baltimore  again,  and  every  hospital  is  thronged. 
Mid- July  has  come,  and  Lee  has  gone,  once  more  per- 
mitted to  retire  nnharassed  across  the  Potomac. 
Once  more  the  Union  lines  are  stretched  along  the 
canal,  and  a  picket  post  is  stationed  on  the  height 
where  towered  stately  Heatherwood,  now  a  pile  of 
blackened,  melancholy  ruins.  Once  more  Bob 
Hamlin's  troopers  ride  through  the  dusty  lanes  that, 
less  than  a  year  before,  they  traversed  at  top  speed 
in  chase  of  their  Virginia  foe,  but  no  longer  rages  old 
Foulweather  at  the  head  of  column.  To  the  amaze 
of  all  he  had  turned  up  in  time  for  the  fierce  battling 
of  the  second  and  third  day,  but  shot  and  sabre-stroke 
have  laid  him  low  and  left  him,  swearing  still,  a 
bandaged  and  bewildered  invalid  at  Hanover. 
Treacy  it  is  who  commands,  and  Treacy  who  signs 
the  report  that  tells  of  the  splendid  charge  they  made 
to  hold  the  rebel  right  when  Hood  launched  his  col- 
umns at  the  Round  Tops. 

"Again  it  is  the  duty  of  the  regimental  com- 
mander to  refer  to  the  gallant  conduct  of  Trooper 
Bell"  (Bob  Hamlin  writes  it  all),  "for,  v/hen  tlie 
sergeant  standard  bearer  was  shot  from  his  horse  in 
the  midst  of  the  rebel  line,  it  was  Bell  who  rescued 

both,  bearing  the  wounded  sergeant  to  a  place  of 
354 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  355 

safety,  and  then,  standard  in  hand,  rejoining  in  time 
for  the  second  dash,  in  which  he  was  unhorsed  and 
seriously  wounded,  yet  managed  to  toss  the  precious 
emblem  to  a  comrade  and  eventually  to  crawl  back 
to  our  lines." 

Again  is  Beau  an  impatient  patient  in  the  sur- 
geon's hands,  transported,  as  are  many  of  the 
wounded,  to  Baltimore.  He  recovers  rapidly,  for 
hard  knocks  seem  to  have  no  lasting  effect  on  his 
vigorous  constitution.  He  is  up  and  hobbling  about 
the  tented  enclosure  in  which  so  many  comrades  lie 
suffering  through  the  long,  hot  days.  Surgeons  are 
few  enough,  and  nurses  sorely  needed.  Farther 
north,  by  hundreds,  noble-hearted  women  crowd  to 
the  hospitals  and  press  their  services,  but  the  bitter- 
ness of  this  bitterest  of  wars  is  heaviest  here  in  the 
proud  old  Southern  city,  and  many  a  stricken  soldier 
longs  in  vain  for  the  soothing  touch  of  a  woman's 
hand.  Far  to  the  front  the  able-bodied  and  the  con- 
valescent must  soon  be  hurried,  but  for  the  time  the 
twin  triumphs  of  Gettysburg  and  Vicksburg,  told  in 
thunder  on  the  glorious  Fourth  to  a  rejoicing  nation, 
seem  to  hold  the  hand  of  the  Union  leaders,  as 
though  reluctant  further  to  smite  so  brave,  so  suffer- 
ing a  foe.  All  through  the  hot  July  days,  east  and 
west,  the  columns  of  Meade  and  Grant  are  held  in 
leash,  as  though  the  merciful,  the  tender-hearted 
Lincoln  were  stretching  forth  his  hand  imploring 
the  erring  children  of  the  South  to  come  to  him  that 
he  might  indeed  bind  up  the  nation's  wounds  and 


356         THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

care  for  him  who  had  borne  the  battle;  for  him,  or 
the  loved  ones  left  to  weep  for  the  soldier  who  would 
never  fight  again.  A  paralysis  of  pity  has  swept  over 
the  armies  of  the  Union,  and  made  them  powerless 
to  follow  np  their  victories.  For  weeks  the  cities 
swarm  with  slightly  wounded  or  furloughed  men, 
and  provost-marshals  cease  to  demand  papers  and 
passes  through  sheer  fatigue.  Back  to  the  old 
familiar  lines  slowly  march  the  war-worn  veterans 
of  Lee,  a  mournful  remnant  of  the  proud  and 
triumphant  array  that  swung  so  jubilantly  north  the 
month  before,  and  there  comes  a  fortnight  in  which 
even  stern  military  justice  seems  forgotten,  in  which 
there  is  no  longer  thought  on  vengeance,  a  fortnight 
in  which  Floyd  Fairfax  lies  within  his  guarded  tent, 
visited  by  sympathetic  friends,  nursed  by  gentle 
hands,  encouraged  by  more  than  one  old  comrade  of 
the  blue,  before  the  Iron  Secretary  seems  to  realize 
that  once  again  the  spy  of  Ileatherwood,  the  escaped 
prisoner  of  Point  of  Kocks,  the  daring  Virginian 
who  had  cheated  the  gallows  almost  under  the 
shadow  of  his  wing,  is  here  again,  a  wounded  leader 
of  Pickett's  legion, — here  within  his  grasp. 

By  this  time,  too,  the  Virginia  colonel  is  quite 
able  to  reappear  at  the  head  of  his  men.  A  crashing 
blow  of  a  gun  butt  on  his  uncovered  head,  a  knee 
sorely  wrenched  by  the  frantic  struggles  of  his  dying 
horse  disembowelled  by  a  shell  at  the  pike,  make  up 
the  sum  total  of  his  casualties,  and  from  these  he  is 
well-nigh  recovered,  but  there  can  be  no  hope  of  ex- 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  357 

change.  Heatlienvood  and  Tighlman  have  finally 
succeeded  in  effecting  their  transfer,  for  the  South 
had  far  the  best  of  it  in  prisoners  after  Fredericks- 
burg and  Chancellorsville,  but  no  such  luck  can  be 
hoped  for  in  the  case  of  Fairfax.  Even  in  the  Union 
army  there  are  men  who  tremble  when  they  think  of 
the  fate  that  will  surely  be  his  the  moment  Stanton 
becomes  aware  of  his  recapture,  and  one  of  these  is 
Belden.  The  draft  riots  in  Xew  York  and  other 
cities  have  called  for  the  presence  of  many  of  the 
regiments  of  the  Potomac  army,  and  the  new-made 
general,  whose  bravery  and  whose  example  were  so 
conspicuous  at  the  forefront  among  Gibbon's  men, 
still  finds  himself  without  a  command.  Fort  Mc- 
Henry  and  the  post  at  Federal  Hill  are  heavily  garri- 
soned. A  major-general  of  volunteers  makes  his  head- 
quarters at  Baltimore,  while  his  command  is  mainly 
strung  along  the  Potomac  from  Edward's  Ferry  to 
Cumberland,  and  to  him  has  the  young  West  Pointer 
been  ordered  to  report  for  assignment  to  duty;  but 
West  Pointers  are  things  that  double-starred  states- 
man holds  in  aversion  ever  since  the  day  he  was 
forced  to  listen  to  the  comments  of  one  of  their  num- 
ber upon  an  amateur  attempt  to  attack  a  battery 
with  a  regiment  in  column  of  platform  cars.  He 
greets  the  new  brigadier  with  cold  civility,  tells  him 
to  make  himself  at  home  at  Barnum's  until  some- 
thing turns  up,  and  dictates  a  newspaper  editorial 
upon  the  prevalence  of  padded,  pigeon-breasted 
graduates  of  the  National  Academy  in  the  corridors 


358  THFJ   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

of  the  hotels,  while  the  heroic  volunteers  of  all  ranks 
are  found  only  at  the  post  of  danger, — at  the  front. 
Meanwhile,  the  recruitment  of  the  new  regiments  of 
Pennsylvanians  that  were  to  have  formed  Belden's 
brigade  seems  to  have  languished,  and  good  honest 
burghers  throughout  the  Keystone  State  believe  the 
war  is  over  and  clamor  for  the  return  of  the  trooj^s 
already  in  the  field.  Belden  writes  vehement  letters 
to  Washington  and  Harrisburg, — to  fossils  at  the 
War  Department  and  to  friends  at  court, — but  with 
little  effect  at  first,  for  the  former  are  set  against  the 
detachment  of  young  regulars  to  the  command  of 
vohinteers,  where  they  speedily  win  distinction  far 
above  that  accorded  veteran  bureau  officers,  whom 
they  may  soon  outrank  in  the  permanent  establish- 
ment; and  the  latter  seem  to  share  the  belief  of  all 
Bucks  County  that  the  South  has  never  recovered 
from  the  drubbing  it  received  on  Pennsylvania  soil 
at  the  hands  of  Pennsylvania  men,  and  further  en- 
rollment is  unnecessary.  They  have  good  cause  for 
pride  in  the  valor  of  the  sons  of  the  Keystone  State, 
God  knows,  for  Meade  was  defending  his  own  fire- 
side; for  the  grandest  soldier  of  them  all,  though 
he  would  not  take  the  command  of  an  army  divided 
against  itself,  died  on  the  foremost  fighting  line,  re- 
pelling the  fierce  onset  of  the  first  day  on  the  soil  of 
his  native  State ;  for  officers  and  men  in  scores  from 
the  lovely  valleys  of  the  Juniata,  the  Delaware,  the 
Susquehanna,  and  the  west  slope  of  the  Alleghanies 
laid  down  their  lives  in  willing  sacrifice  for  the  sake 


THE  GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  359 

of  the  Union  and  the  glory  of  the  old  common- 
wealth; for  it  was  Webb's  Pennsylvanians  who  op- 
posed their  sturdy  front  to  Pickett's  overwhelming 
rush,  fighting  like  devils  even  when  hurled  back  by 
weight  of  numbers.  There  were  days  when  General 
Belden  could  have  torn  the  stars  from  his  shoulders 
and  gone  back  to  take  command  of  his  old  squadron. 
There  came  a  day  when  he  would  have  done  it,  such 
was  his  wrath  and  indignation,  but  stars,  straps,  coat, 
and  all  were  gone  for  a  time,  and  the  very  devil  was 
to  pay  in  Baltimore ! 

Impatiently  awaiting  at  Barnum's  the  coming  of 
telegrams  or  letters  in  reply  to  his  importunate  de- 
mands; forbidden  by  the  general  orders  of  the  AVar 
Department  to  visit  Washington  without  permission 
previously  obtained  from  the  adjutant-general,  who 
seemed  to  see  stars  too  many  as  it  was  and  refused 
to  encounter  more;  forbidden  by  military  regula- 
tions to  leave  his  post  of  duty  without  ^vritten  per- 
mission from  the  general  in  command,  to  whom  he 
will  not  apply  under  any  circumstances,  the  stalwart 
young  soldier  fumes  and  rages  about  the  Monu- 
mental City,  finding  his  only  comfort  or  usefulness 
in  visiting  the  wounded,  among  whom  there  are 
many  officers  whom  he  knows.  His  horses  and 
equipments  he  keeps  at  the  stable  adjoining  the  great 
hotel.  His  aide-de-camp,  an  enthusiastic  stripling 
of  his  own  name  and  race,  is  quartered  with  him. 
His  orderlies — one  a  veteran  of  the  old  regiment,  the 
other  a  strapping  volunteer — are  billeted  with  the 


360  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

provost-gnard,  and  it  becomes  his  daily  custom  to 
ride  out  to  the  camps  and  hospitals  and  to  familiarize 
himself  with  such  defences  as  there  are.  Men  and 
women  both  look  more  than  once  at  a  fonn  so  grace- 
ful and  commanding,  and  at  a  face  so  clear-cut,  so 
handsome,  so  eloquent  of  soldier  spirit  and  deter- 
mination. Within  the  week  of  his  return  after 
Gettysburg,  General  Belden  is  far  better  known  by 
sight  to  every  officer  and  man  of  the  neighboring 
forts  and  camps,  and  to  the  populace  of  the  city,  than 
is  his  senior  in  rank,  the  commanding  general,  who 
is  rarely  seen  outside  his  office  or  his  temporary 
home. 

One  soft  evening  in  July,  Belden  has  dismounted 
within  a  broad  enclosure  bounded  by  a  high,  un- 
painted  picket-fence,  and  covered  with  the  spreading 
canvas  of  a  score  of  hospital  tents.  The  walls  are  all 
looped  up  to  permit  free  circulation  of  the  air  among 
the  patients  in  their  simple  cots.  The  spreading 
tent-flies  are  propped  high  above  each  ridge-pole  to 
shield  the  roof  from  the  sun  that  blazes  so  hot  at  mid- 
day. The  surgeon's  quarters  near  the  entrance,  the 
guard  tent  on  the  opposite  side,  the  entrance  gate 
itself,  and  the  store  tents  and  dispensary  are  watched 
by  pacing  sentries,  who  halt  and  present  arms  as  the 
little  party  enters.  A  young  medical  officer  steps 
quickly  forward  to  greet  the  distinguished  arrival. 
A  group  of  convalescents,  reading  newspapers  or 
chatting  together  under  a  spreading  a^vning,  arise 
and  stand  attention, — a  piece  of  soldier  courtesy  the 


THE  GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  361 

young  general  acknowledges  by  lifting  his  forage- 
cap. Then  stepping  forward  and  extending  a  cordial 
hand  to  one  or  two  of  their  number  in  whom  he 
recognizes  old  soldiers  of  the  regular  cavalry,  Belden 
seems  to  comprehend  the  entire  gathering  in  the 
kindly  look  with  which  he  accompanies  his  inquiries 
as  to  their  improvement,  their  needs  or  mshes.  It 
is  while  he  is  thus  engaged,  surrounded  by  the  battle- 
scarred  fellows,  that  a  tall  soldier,  in  natty,  trim- 
fitting  fatigue  uniforai,  who,  sitting  somewhat  apart 
from  the  others,  has  been  eagerly  studying  the  pages 
of  a  i^ew  York  journal,  but  who,  like  the  rest,  had 
sprung  to  his  feet,  is  now  seen  to  slip  quietly  away 
and  to  walk  rather  rapidly,  for  a  convalescent,  around 
the  corner  of  a  neighboring  tent,  and  there  is  lost  to 
view. 

"Who  was  that?"  asks  the  general.  "I've  seen 
him  before,  haven't  I?  He  has  the  ear-marks  of  the 
dragoon  about  him." 

"Faith,  sir,"  was  the  prompt,  half-laughing  reply 
of  an  Irish  corporal,  with  the  fond  familiarity  of 
that  favored  race,  "the  general  has  seen  the  likes  of 
him  every  time  he  has  looked  in  the  glass  since  lie 
joined  us  at  old  Lar'mie,  and  small  blame  to  him  if 
he  looked  as  aften  as  I'd  dhrink  his  health!  That's 
Beau  Bell,  sir,  that  the  boys  would  be  callin'  Belden, 
for  he's  the  best  fighter  in  the  ould  regiment — that 
wasn't  born  Irish." 

"Bell,  indeed!"  is  the  smiling  answer,  as  the  gen- 
eral slips  a  generous  greenback  in  the  soldier's  hand. 


362         THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

"We  all  know  liim,  and  I  much  want  to  see  him. 
Tell  him,  will  jou,  Terry?  I'll  ask  the  surgeon  to  let 
you  have  a  little  outing  this  evening,  lads,  and  the 
corporal  has — the  countersign,"  he  adds,  with  a 
twinkle  in  his  bright  blue  eyes,  ''But  remember, 
draw  it  mild,  and  no  row  with  the  police  or  patrols." 
So  saying,  he  leaves  them  jubilant,  the  kindling  eyes 
that  follow  his  erect  and  graceful  figure  telling  elo- 
quently the  regard  in  which  the  soldiers  hold  him. 
Directing  his  steps  to  a  portion  of  the  enclosure  de- 
voted to  the  officers,  the  general  passes  within  an  airy 
tent,  then  stops  short  almost  at  the  threshold.  It 
stands  apart  from  the  others.  A  sentry  is  posted 
at  the  front,  another  paces  the  little  pathway  not 
twenty  feet  away.  The  occupant  is  evidently  a 
prisoner  in  more  senses  than  one,  yet  at  sight  of  Bel- 
den  both  sentries  halt  and  present  arms,  and  a  tall, 
dark-bearded,  dark-eyed  patient,  with  gentleman 
stamped  in  every  feature,  rises  slowly  from  his  re- 
clining-chair.  "Ah!  Belden,  this  is  kind  of  you," 
he  says;  then,  turning  at  once  to  two  visitors  seated 
near  him,  "Mrs.  Heatherwood,  may  I  present  Gen- 
eral Belden? — Miss  Heatherwood,"  he  adds;  and 
then,  with  a  backward  glance  at  an  officer  in  the  uni- 
form and  equipments  of  a  lieutenant  of  infantry, 
"and  Lieutenant  Farnha.m,  who  has  no  wish  to  super- 
vise this  interview,  but,  like  the  soldier  he  is,  must 
obey  his  orders,"  whereat  the  young  volunteer 
flushes,  gratefully.  Belden  bows  low  and  courte- 
ously, but  Mrs.  Heatherwood  has  risen  before  he  can 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  363 

protest,  and,  coming  forward  with  the  same  sweet 
manner  and  gentle  voice  that  seem  inseparable  from 
her,  holds  forth  her  hand,  exclaiming,  "I  am  glad, 
indeed,  to  meet  General  Belden.  There  was  a  time 
when  it  seemed  to  be  maintained  that  we  had  met 
before,  and  were  old  friends." 

"And  is  this «     AVhy,  what  need  to  ask?"  he 

says,  with  beaming  eyes.  "Of  course,  there  can  be 
but  one  Madam  Heatherwood."  And  both  his 
hands  are  clasping  the  slender  fingers  as  he  gazes 
into  her  pale,  peaceful,  tender  face.  "I  do  not  know 
how  many  fellows  have  talked  of  you  and  blessed 
you,  dear  lady,  and  I  envied  them  the  knowing  you. 
Who  said  we  were  old  friends?  I  wish  we  were.  I 
pray  we  may  be,"  he  goes  on,  impulsively,  as  he 
slowly  releases  her  hand. 

"We  ought  to  be,"  is  the  mournful  answer,  "yet  it 
was  far  better  for  you  that  we  had  never  met  in  the 
past.  What  a  tale  we  have  to  tell  you.  General  Bel- 
den! It  was  your  name,  if  not  your  voice,  that 
saved  our  home  to  us  a  few  months  at  least.  It  is  all 
in  ruins  now." 

"My  name!  my  voice!"  he  cries,  amazed,  as  he 
draws  forward  her  camp-chair  and  aids  her  to  her 
seat.  "Why,  this  accords  with  some  strange  yarn  I 
got  from  Washington,  and  then  that  uniform  of 
mine  that  was  found  within  your  doors!  What  does 
it  mean?    How  did  it  happen?" 

"That — I — cannot  explain — now,"  she  answers, 
hesitating,  embarrassed.     "Yet  some  day  you  shall 


3G4  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

know,  if  we  all  live  until  ^tliis  cruel  war  is  over,'  as 
the  song  goes.  Colonel  Fairfax  can  best  tell  you 
how  your  name  suppressed  them — the  cannoneers — 
the  day  that  Stuart  passed  us  by, — or  my  daughter, 
— for  they  heard  it  all.     I  was  prostrate." 

"But  not  now,"  interposes  Fairfax,  in  response  to 
an  appealing,  upward  glance  from  Miss  Heather- 
wood's  soft  eyes,  "'not  now!"  And  without  turning 
he  indicates  by  a  significant  movement  of  the  hand 
the  officer  of  the  guard,  seated  unhappily  by. 

"Yes,  the  colonel  is  right,"  promj^tly  chimes  in 
Mrs.  Heatherwood,  "for  we  are  limited  to  a  call  of 
fifteen  minutes.  Come  to  me, — indeed,  I  know  you 
will  if  duties  permit, — and  you  shall  hear  it  all." 

"Then  for  the  moment  I  will  leave  you,"  says  Bel- 
den,  promptly,  his  eyes  glancing  quickly  from  Fair- 
fax to  the  slender,  silent  girl.  "You  must  have  mat- 
ters to  talk  of " 

"We  have,  general,  and  may  we  not  have  your 
counsel?"  replies  Mrs.  Heatherwood,  as  promptly. 
Then,  throwing  aside  all  reserve,  she  frankly  speaks: 
"You  have  known  Floyd  Fairfax  for  years.  You 
must  know  he  can  never  have  been  a  spy.  You  do 
know  the  accusation  against  him.  I  ask  you,  is  it 
possible  that  a  spy  would  risk  the  loss  of  his  com- 
rades' respect  by  refusing  to  be  safely  borne  away  by 
them  to  rejoin  his  regiment  in  Virginia,  simply  be- 
cause he  had  given  his  word  to  an  officer — just  as  he 
might  to  this  gentleman  here — that  he  would  not 
attemjDt  to  escape  from  Heatherwood?" 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  365 

"I  know  the  whole  story,  dear  lady,"  answ^ers  Bel- 
den,  sadly.  "But  it  is  not  what  I  believe,  or  what 
his  old  comrades  believe,  that  weighs  in  this  case. 
The  evidence  before  that  old  court,  he  himself  vn.ll 
tell  you,  is  sufficient  to  convict,  and,  loyal  as  I  am  to 
my  government  and  my  flag,  I  wish  to  God  he  had 
never  risked  falling  again  into  our  hands." 

"Then  you  believe " 

"I  believe  Secretary  Stanton  to  be  implacable. 
Ah!  no,"  he  adds,  mournfully,  as  she  glances 
quickly,  fearfully,  first  at  Fairfax,  then  at  him,  as 
though  she  would  say,  in  mercy  do  not  let  our  kins- 
man hear  such  dreadful  news,  "it  will  do  us  no  good 
to  blind  our  eyes.  Fairfax  and  I  have  talked  it  all 
over.  It  is  nothing  new  to  him.  You  still  have 
warm  and  influential  friends  at  Washington.  Let 
me  urge  you  to  lose  no  time.  See  them  or  vTite  them 
to  be  in  readiness  to  act  in  mass  on  Stanton  the  in- 
stant he  learns  that  Fairfax  is  here.  In  all  his  press- 
ure of  care  and  duty  the  list  of  prisoners  has  not  yet 
been  read  to  him,  but  sooner  or  later  some  one,  hope- 
ful of  reward,  will  tell  him,  and  then — - — " 

"Then  what,  general?" 

"Then  his  life  will  not  be  worth  a  penny." 

The  impressive  silence  that  follows,  broken  only 
by  the  convulsive  sobbing  of  Miss  Heatherwood, 
lasts  but  a  moment.  At  the  door  of  the  tent  appears 
a  corporal  of  the  guard.  "The  officer  of  the  day's 
compliments.  The  fifteen  minutes  are  up,  sir;"  then, 
"and  the  sentry  says  there's  a  man  here  to  report  to 
General  Bclden." 


366         THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

''Tell  liim  to  wait/'  is  the  brief  answer,     "Mrs.      ! 
Heatherwood,  you  will  let  me  see  you  to  your  car- 
riage?"  adds  Belden,  gently.     "We  must  respect  the 
order,  or  even  such  brief  privileges  may  be  mth- 
drawn." 

Sobbing  violently,  Belle  Ileatherwood  has  risen, 
her  fair  head  bowed  upon  her  bosom,  her  handker- 
chief, wet  with  her  tears,  close  pressed  to  her  face. 
The  young  officer  of  the  guard,  with  twitching  lips 
and  blinking  eyes,  stands  awkwardly  by.  On  the 
narrow  walk  at  the  side  of  the  tent,  some  unseen 
foot  stirs  roughly  the  gTavel,  and  a  voice  is  heard: 
"Don't  go;  the  general  says  wait."  Then,  more 
sharply,  "Halt!  I  say,"  and  the  sound  of  quick  foot- 
falls ceases.  Paying  no  heed  to  what  is  transpiring 
without.  Colonel  Fairfax  bends  impulsively  and 
throws  his  arm  about  the  quivering  form  of  the  fair 
girl  and  presses  one  long  kiss  upon  her  brow.  There 
is  a  moment  of  clasping  hands  and  choking  adieu, 
and  then  another  voice.  At  the  tent  door  stands 
a  strange  officer  in  the  uniform  of  a  captain;  the 
gold  cord  on  his  trousers  and  the  dark  ground  of  his 
shoulder-straps  announce  him  to  be  of  the  staff. 

"General  Belden,"  he  says,  respectfully,  extend- 
ing an  official  envelope. 

Belden  whirls  quickly  upon  him.  "Ah!  Captain 
Wallace,  orders — for  me?" 

"From  the  major-general  commanding,  sir.  He 
goes  to  inspect  the  lines  along  the  Potomac,  to  be 
gone  a  week,  and  is  ordered  by  telegraph  to  leave 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  367 

you  in  command  in  his  absence.  There  are  instruc- 
tions affecting — this  gentleman,"  he  adds,  uneasily, 
with  a  glance  at  Fairfax. 

Tearing  open  the  despatches,  Belden  reads  with 
paling  face.  Then  both  hands  drop  in  helpless 
sorrow. 

"Well,  old  man?"  says  Fairfax,  a  sad  smile  on 
his  wan  face,  as  he  holds  forth  a  long,  slim,  sine^vy 
hand. 

"It  has  come,  dear  old  friend,"  is  the  answer,  with 
something  very  like  a  sob.  "They  order  you  to 
Federal  Hill.    They  order  me  to  be  your  jailer." 


CHAPTER  XXVL 

Sad  and  anxious  faces  were  seen  on  every  side  that 
hot  July  in  Baltimore.  The  thrill  of  wild  anticipa- 
tion, of  coming  triumph,  with  which  was  hailed  the 
news  that  Lee  once  more  had  invaded  the  jSTorth 
gave  place  to  a  lethargy  of  despair.  Many  house- 
holds in  Maryland  were  in  mourning.  Black  was 
seen  on  every  side  in  Baltimore.  With  fearful  loss 
the  daring  army  of  the  South  had  been  driven  from 
Pennsylvania,  leaving  behind  it  many  a  chivalrous 
leader  and  thousands  of  its  best  and  bravest  men.  It 
was  one  thing  for  gentlemen  to  die  in  the  battle 
front  fighting  for  the  cause  they  had  espoused, — 
even  in  their  agony  of  grief  Southern  wives  and 
mothers  found  deep  consolation  in  the  thought, — 
but  it  was  far  different  to  see  a  loved  and  honored 
soldier  of  their  faith  threatened  with  a  felon's  death 
upon  the  scaffold.  Baltimore  went  wild  with  grief 
and  helpless  rage  over  the  stories  spread  on  every 
side  concerning  Fairfax.  Though  still  bedridden 
and  enfeebled,  he  had  been  dragged,  said  rumor, 
from  comparative  comfort  and  a  clean  and  airy  tent, 
and  despite  unhealed  wounds  was  thrust  into  a  foul 
dungeon,  the  prey  of  rats  and  vermin,  chained,  like 
Bonnivard  at  Chillon,  to  a  pillar  below  the  level  of 
the  waters,  denied  food,  raiment,  the  actual  neces- 
sities of  life,  deprived  of  all  means  of  communi- 
368 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  369 

eating  with  friends,  weighed  down  with  cannon- 
balls  and  other. non-portables,  subjected  to  daily  and 
nightly  torture,  awakened  every  minute  by  brutal 
sentries  if  he  slept.  Just  heaven!  what  didn't  the 
women  say  and  believe?  Without  warrant  of  law, 
without  complete  trial,  as  it  was  pointed  out  to 
them,  even  the  Iron  Secretary  could  not  order  his 
execution,  and  thereby  were  they  convinced  that 
since  Stanton  dared  not  hang  his  prisoner  at  once 
he  meant  to  drive  him  mad  or  kill  him  by  slow  tor- 
ture. Even  Southern  sympathizers  knew  that  if 
a  military  commission  could  complete  the  trial  of 
the  hapless  Virginian,  there  was  evidence  enough 
on  which  to  hang  him.  The  question  was.  How 
soon  could  the  court  get  to  work  and  finish  the  case? 
How  soon  might  not  the  impatient  Secretary  decide 
to  settle  the  matter  out  of  court?  All  Baltimore 
realized  that  Fairfax  was  in  peril  of  his  life,  in 
danger  of  a  shameful  death;  and  even  the  contem- 
plation of  the  fact  that  gentlemen  like  Andre,  pa- 
triots like  Xathan  Hale,  and  impulsive  boys  like 
Mumford  had  died  for  their  principles  at  the  rope's 
end,  brought  no  consolation  to  the  countless  friends 
of  the  imprisoned  soldier. 

Yet  to  the  privileged  observer  Floyd  Fairfax  was 
a  happier  man  than  the  Union  general  charged  by 
War  Department  orders  with  the  defence  of  Balti- 
more and  the  safe-keeping  of  the  spy.  So  far  from 
the  former's  being  chained  in  a  dungeon  beneath 
the  lapping  waters,  he  had  the  run  of  a  high  and  airy 

2-1 


370  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

room,  cool  as  anything  could  be  under  the  blazing 
sun  of  late  July  in  a  Maryland  town.  He  had  ice  in 
abundance,  flowers  in  profusion,  bath-tub,  books, 
stationery,  clean  linen,  an  excellent  physician,  and  at 
least  one  devoted  friend,  his  old  comrade,  his 
new  custodian,  Grosvenor  Belden.  True,  only  these 
two  were  permitted  to  visit  him,  only  such  letters 
could  reach  him  from  without  as  were  inspected  by 
the  commanding  general,  only  such  letters  could  he 
send  as  the  general  could  certify  did  not  convey  more 
than  the  stem  orders  of  the  Secretary  would  counte- 
nance. Four  days  had  elapsed  since  his  transfer 
from  the  hospital  camp,  and  in  no  wise  physically 
had  he  suffered,  while  Belden  raged  at  heart  over 
the  order  which  condemned  him  to  such  duty,  even 
while  Fairfax  thanked  heaven  that  it  was  Belden 
and  no  other  who  was  charged  with  his  safe-keeping. 
What  sorrow  and  humiliation  and  |X)ssible  indignity 
had  not  been  spared  him  through  this  knightly  foe 
and  faithful  friend  who  came  by  day  and  night  to 
counsel  and  to  cheer!  To  Fairfax  Belden  strove  to 
hold  out  hope  of  kindly  consideration  of  his  plight. 
To  himself,  who  alone  knew  the  full  tenor  of  the 
Secretary's  instructions,  he  admitted  no  hope  what- 
ever. 

Another  thing  that  gave  him  grave  concern  was 
the  fact  that  his  superior,  the  absent  commander  of 
the  department,  was  ordered  to  hasten  his  return  to 
liis  post,  and  this  meant  that  his,  Belden's,  charge 
could  be  but  temporary,   and  all  opportunity  for 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  371 

ameliorating  the  lot  of  liis  old  comrade  would  be 
denied  liim  with  the  other's  coming;  for,  like  more 
than  one  creation  of  the  war,  both  Xorth  and  South, 
the  major-general,  when  at  safe  distance  from  the 
front,  was  tremendous  in  the  blows  he  dealt  the  foe. 
Everything  Belden  could  do  through  friends  at 
Washington  he  had  done,  even  to  the  rousing  of 
Stanton's  wrath  against  himself  and  a  renewal  of 
Stanton's  warning  that  he'd  have  no  more  of  this 
giving  aid  and  comfort  to  the  enemy.  It  wasn't 
enough  that  gentlemen  should  fight  like  Paladins  in 
the  field;  there  were  statesmen,  heaven  save  the 
mark!  who  would  have  had  their  soldiers  trample 
on  a  prostrate  foe,  and  smite,  like  jealous,  raging 
women,  the  face  uplifted  to  implore  a  victor's  mercy. 
We  had  them  l^orth  and  Soiith, — the  men  who  bul- 
lied helpless  wives  and  daughters  in  New  Orleans, 
or  starved  and  shot  their  captives  in  the  stockades  of 
Macon  and  Andersonville. 

It  was  a  lovely  Sunday  evening.  The  soft  breeze 
from  the  Chesapeake  was  drifting  over  the  heated 
roofs  of  the  city  and  cooling  the  faces  of  the  throng- 
ing soldiery  at  the  forts.  Out  on  the  ramparts 
swarmed  the  defenders,  now  that  the  sun  had  sunk 
below  the  western  horizon,  and  the  flags  that  all  day 
long  unfurled  over  Federal  Hill  and  frowning  Fort 
McIIenry  had  fluttered  downward  like  gayly  plum- 
aged  birds  to  sleep  until  the  coming  of  the  morrow's 
sun.  Through  the  heavily  barred  windows  of  his 
prison  Floyd  Fairfax  looked  out  over  a  bustling 


372        THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

yard,  bounded  by  rude  wooden  barracks  and  dotted 
here  and  there  with  snowy  canvas.  North  and 
south  the  view  was  just  the  same, — barracks,  bayo- 
nets, blue-clad  soldiery  sauntering  ever  by,  many 
looking  at  his  gridironed  casement  with  not  unkindly 
interest  in  their  unlifted  eyes;  some  even  venturing, 
half  awkwardly,  a  shy  salute.  Of  the  city,  the  har- 
bor, the  far  green  fields,  the  dancing  waters  of  the 
bay,  the  distant  forests,  he  could  see  nothing.  Life 
was  hemmed  in,  circumscribed,  by  the  pitiless  accom- 
paniments of  war,  and  doubled  sentries^  with  mus- 
kets capped  and  bayonets  fixed,  paced  beneath  his 
curtainless  windows,  peered  in,  by  order,  every  few 
minutes  day  and  night,  while  others,  supervised  by 
an  officer  from  his  tent  door  not  ten  paces  off,  kept 
vigil  at  the  entrance  that  was  proof  against  all 
machinations  or  temptation.  They  were  keepers  of 
each  other's  honor  as  well  as  of  the  prisoner.  There 
could  be  no  buying  an  entire  guard.  There  could 
be  no  possibility  of  escape.  Even  if  Floyd  Fairfax 
should  evade  their  vigilance,  every  loop-hole  of  the 
fort  was  guarded,  every  approach  picketed.  Sentry 
after  sentry  would  bar  his  way.  One  after  another 
every  scheme  proposed  in  rebel  Baltimore  was  given 
up  as  hopeless.    Floyd  Fairfax  was  doomed. 

Just  as  twilight  settled  down  an  open  carriage,  at 
sight  of  which  guards  and  sentries  stood  rigidly  at 
attention,  came  driving  rapidly  up  the  dusty  road, 
whirled  unhindered  past  the  guard-house,  and  drew 
up  in  front  of  the  prison  door-way.     Promptly  the 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  373 

officer  of  the  guard  opened  the  carriage  door  and 
offered  a  white  gloved  hand  to  assist  the  tall  young 
general  officer  to  alight.  Even  then  they  noticed, 
officers  and  men,  that  Belden's  face  was  graver,  sad- 
der than  before.  Followed  by  the  doctor  who  was 
driving  with  him  and  by  an  orderly  who  sprang, 
basket-laden,  from  the  box,  and  escorted  by  the  offi- 
cer of  the  guard,  the  little  party  entered  and  walked 
on  through  a  corridor  that  resounded  to  their  foot- 
steps. Presently  out  came  the  lieutenant,  met  at  the 
threshold  by  his  red-sashed  superior,  the  officer  of 
the  day. 

"Thank  God  for  small  favors!"  was  the  instant 
salutation  of  the  junior.  "We're  to  be  relieved  from 
jail  watching  anyhow.  Orders  have  come  to  send 
him  to  Fort  Lafayette." 

"You  don't  say  so!    When  does  he  go?" 

"To-morrow  some  time.  A  guard  is  to  come  for 
him  at  reveille." 

Then  sergeant  looked  to  soldier,  and  soldier  to  his 
mate,  and  the  faces  showed  that  even  then  in  the 
sympathy  excited  by  the  tidings  there  was  greater 
sense  of  comfort  and  relief.  The  news  went  from 
group  to  group,  from  soldiers  under  arms  and  in 
equipments  to  fellows  dawdling  about  the  barracks 
in  their  sliirt  sleeves,  to  others  strolling  townward  on 
pass  till  tattoo,  and  there  was  quite  a  gathering  at 
respectful  distance  when  once  again  the  young  com- 
mander came  striding  forth,  his  forage-cap,  as  was 
his  wont,  pulled  well  down  over  his  eyes. 


374         THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

"Is  it  true,  general?"  asked  tlie  soldierly  captain, 
whose  red  sash,  crossed  from  shoulder  to  hip,  be- 
spoke the  oiRcer  of  the  day. 

''Sadly  true,"  said  Belden,  gravely.  "Dr.  Morrow 
remains  with  him  awhile,  but  I  have  to  drive  to  Mc- 
Henry.  This  weather  is  too  hot  for  horseback  exer- 
cise. The  usual  orders,  captain.  I'll  be  back  later 
to-night." 

"The  usual  orders,  lieutenant,"  said  the  senior  to 
the  officer  of  the  guard.  "It's  our  last  night  at  this 
kind  of  work,  thank  God!  All  the  more  reason  that 
it  be  thorough.  See  that  your  men  understand  their 
night  orders.    I  shall  begin  questioning  before  taps." 

"The  usual  orders,  sergeant,"  said  the  officer  to 
the  sergeant  of  the  guard.  "Instruct  your  reliefs 
thoroughly.  I'll  see  to  those  on  post."  So  saying, 
he  turned  to  the  nearest  sentry,  facing  close  before 
the  prison  door.     "Your  special  orders,  sir?" 

Facing  his  young  superior,  the  soldier  tossed  his 
glittering  musket  across  his  body  to  the  position  of 
"arras  port,"  and,  going  straight  to  the  meat  of  his 
instructions,  ignoring  the  array  of  general  orders 
that  every  wartime  sentry  knew,  he  jumped,  as 
directed,  to  those  that  met  this  especial  case: 

"My  special  orders  are  to  use  the  utmost  vigilance 
in  preventing  the  escape  of  the  prisoner  known  as 
Fairfax,  here  confined;  to  permit  no  person  to  enter 
except  the  commanding  general,  the  post  comman- 
der, the  officer  of  the  day  and  guard,  the  medical 
officer,  and  the  attendants  they  direct  to  accompany 
them." 


THE   GENERALS  DOUBLE.  375 

"From  whom  do  you  take  orders?" 

"In  general,  only  the  commanding  general,  the 
post  commander,  the  officers  and  non-commissioned 
officers  of  the  guard,  but  no  orders  which  may  permit 
the  prisoner  to  pass  this  door-way  will  be  recognized 
except  when  given  by  the  commanding  general  in 
person  or  by  his  superiors  in  presence  of  the  post 
commander." 

"No  cross-questioning  was  needed.  Only  keen- 
witted, clear-headed  men,  the  j)ick  of  a  clean-cut 
American  regiment,  were  chosen  for  this  duty.  The 
lieutenant  found  his  flank  sentries  equally  well  in- 
structed, with  the  addition  that  bullet  or  bayonet  or 
both  were  to  be  used  should  the  prisoner  seek  egre^ 
by  the  ^vindows  overlooking  the  sentry  post.  They 
were  chatting  in  low  tones,  the  officers  and  non-com- 
missioned officers  of  the  guard,  as  to  what  was  the 
purport  of  this  move  to  Lafayette,  "the  Bastile  of  the 
North,"  the  isolated  fortress  that  stood  at  the  nar- 
rows of  Xew  York  harbor,  when  the  doctor  and  the 
orderly  came  forth,  and  the  former's  eyes  were  wet. 

"Yes,"  he  said,  in  answer  to  questioning  glances. 
"There  is  a  possibility  that  he  may  be  removed  before 
da^vn.  The  general  has  begged  that  the  ignominy 
of  fetters  may  not  be  enforced,  and  that  he  may  send 
him  around  by  sea  instead  of  by  the  scorching  rail- 
way. The  'Narragansett'  sails  at  daylight,  and  the 
answer  may  be  here  any  moment." 

"The  basket  was — all  right,  I  suppose?"  said  the 
captain,  dubiously.  He  could  take  no  chances  with 
Stanton  at  the  head  of  thino"?. 


376  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

"Clean  linen  and  the  like,"  said  the  doctor,  briefly. 
''You'll  hardly  doubt  your  general,  I  suppose?" 

"There  are  generals  I  might  doubt,"  was  the 
answer,  "but  not  him,"  he  added,  as  Belden's  car- 
riage once  more  entered  the  gate-way  just  as  the 
drums  and  fifes  struck  up  the  long,  wailing  prelude 
of  tattoo. 

Preoccupied  and  sad,  Belden  passed  his  saluting 
comrades  without  a  word,  and  spent  ten  minutes 
in  the  dimly  lighted  room.  The  sentry  at  the  north- 
ward window  said  that  Fairfax  had  been  writing, 
and  gave  the  general  two  letters,  after  which  they 
clasped  hands  and  talked  in  low  tones. 

And  even  when  the  general  came  forth  the  New- 
Englander,  the  officer  of  the  day,  with  the  caution 
of  his  Connecticut  training,  sought  further  informa- 
tion at  the  fountain-head : 

"If  the  order  should  come,  general,  will  you  bring 
it,  or  haow?" 

"I  shall  come  myself,  sir,"  was  the  answer.  "I 
have  asked  this  favor,  backed  by  the  doctor's  certifi- 
cate that  a  hot  day's  journey  by  rail  might  be  fatal 
to  a  man  just  recovering  from  the  blow  of  a  clubbed 
musket  on  the  brain,  and  the  department  will  hold 
me  responsible,  doubtless,  for  his  safe  delivery 
aboard  the  'Narragansett.'  Xow,  doctor,  if  you  are 
ready." 

The  orderly  sprang  upon  the  box.  The  doctor 
stepped  in  by  the  general's  side.  The  carriage  drove 
rapidly  .away.  At  Barnum's  their  inquiry  was  for 
teleg^rams.     Two  had  come,  brought  from  head-quar- 


THE  GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  377 

ters  but  a  moment  before.  The  first  announced  that 
the  major-general  commanding  would  return  by 
noon  the  following  day.  The  second  Belden  read, 
then  crushed  in  his  hand^  wdiile  a  flush  of  indigna- 
tion leaped  to  his  face  and  fire  glowed  in  his  honest, 
brave  blue  eyes.  A  moment  later,  like  a  caged  tiger, 
he  was  pacing  up  and  down  his  room,  Dr.  Morrow 
silently  watching  him. 

"Eead  that!"  exclaimed  the  young  soldier,  at  last, 
as  he  tossed  the  crumpled  paper  to  his  friend.  "It's 
as  much  as  saying  that  I  myself  am  attainted.  By 
God,  Dr.  Morrow!"  he  continued,  as  he  turned,  with 
blazing  eyes,  upon  the  calm  practitioner,  "I'll  fight 
for  my  flag  as  long  and  as  hard  as  any  man,  but  I'll 
be  damned  if  I  can  be  hired  to  kick  a  gallant  soldier 
when  he's  down." 

"Quiet,  quiet,  general,"  was  the  surgeon's  soothing 
reply,  as  he  picked  up  the  paper  and  slowly  spread 
it  out  upon  the  table.  "Walls  have  ears,  key-holes 
eyes;  chimneys,  sofas,  closets,  corridors  are  packed 
with  spies.  That  assertion  of  yours  is  enough  to  send 
you  to  Lafayette  as  well  as  Fairfax.  Let's  see  what 
the  Grand  Panjandrum  sayeth: 

"  'War  Department,  WAsniNGTOiT,  July  — ,  '63. 
"  'Gexeeal  G.  Belden,  U.S.Y., 

"  'Temporarily  Commanding,  Baltimore,  Mary- 
land: 
"  'Your  request  not  favorably  considered.      The 
Secretary  of  War  directs  immediate  and  unhesitating 


378  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

compliance  with  his  orders  concerning  the  prisoner 
Fairfax.'  Hum,  So  and  So,  Adjutant-General. 
ISI  ow,  my  dear  friend,  to  be  frank  with  you,  I  am 
glad  of  this.  You've  been  fretting  yourself  into  a 
fever  over  Fairfax.  You  don't  know  it,  but  you're 
a  sick  man  this  minute.  I've  been  watching  you  all 
day.  Your  pulse  is  rattling  away  as  it  never  did 
under  fire,  and  your  temperature  is  at  fever  heat, 
nothing  less.  I\^ow,  I  can  do  what  I  couldn't  do  if 
Fairfax  were  to  be  sent  by  the  'Xarragansett,' — 
order  you  to  bed,  give  you  cooling  and  soothing 
medicine,  and  fetch  you  out  in  time  for  the  duties  of 
the  morning.  Come,  lad,"  he  added,  soothingly, 
placing  his  hand  on  his  commander  patient's  shoul- 
der, "I'm  in  earnest.  No;  you  can't  go  to  the 
Heatherwoods'  to-night.  You're  going  to  bed  at 
once.  I'll  send  the  messenger  to  Eutav/  Street,  and 
will  follow  him  as  soon  as  I've  got  you  to  sleep." 

An  hour  later,  like  a  tired  child,  the  wearied,  trou- 
bled soldier  surrendered  to  the  drowsy  influences  of 
the  doctor's  cooling,  soothing  draught,  and  Morrow 
tiptoed  from  the  room.  When  Morrissey,  the 
veteran  orderly,  stole  in  to  get  the  general's  boots 
and  uniform  to  brush  them  for  the  coming  day,  the 
general  was  sleeping  the  sound  sleep  of  exhaustion, 
and  the  faithful  Irishman  bent  a  long,  wistful  look 
upon  the  loved  commander  he  had  followed  from 
the  far  frontier,  and  his  hand  trembled  as,  to  the 
bundle  of  boots  and  clothing,  he  added  the  general's 
handsome  sash  and  belt,  his  sword,  forage-cap,  and 
gauntlets. 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

The  patrol  of  the  provost-guard,  a  little  earlier 
that  evening,  had  halted  a  tall  soldier  in  the  uniform 
of  the  cavalry,  who  was  coming  briskly  down  the  hill 
from  the  direction  of  the  convalescent  camp.  So  far 
from  showing  annoyance  or  disquietude,  as  was  often 
the  case  at  such  interruption,  the  soldier  stood  with 
confident  mien  and  promptly  presented  his  papers, 
standing  rigidly  at  attention  while  the  officer  closely 
inspected  them.  There  was  no  flaw.  They  were  all 
in  precise  and  regular  form, — Private  Lawrence 
Bell,  Troop  "C,"  — th  U.  S.  Cavalry,  a  convalescent 
patient  U.  S.  General  Hospital,  etc.,  etc.,  on  recom- 
mendation of  the  chief  surgeon  was  granted  five 
days'  furlough,  with  permission  to  visit  relatives  in 
Philadelphia;  was  to  return  to  said  hospital  by 
9.30  P.M.  on  the  27th  day  of  July,  1863,  or  be  con- 
sidered a  deserter.  Said  soldier  was  six  feet  two 
inches  in  height,  blue  eyes,  fair  hair,  light  com- 
plexion, and  was  by  occupation  a  clerk, — -that  occu- 
pation being  the  one  almost  invariably  given  by 
every  enlisting  soldier  who  had  presumably  known 
better  days — but  no  trade.  The  furlough  was  signed 
by  various  officials,  and  was  countersigned  by  the 

provost-marshal,  so  that  for  at  least  two  or  three 

379 


380        THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

days  Trooper  Bell  was  free  to  come  and  go,  liis  own 
master  so  long  as  lie  behaved  himself. 

"Where  are  you  going  now?"   asked  the  officer. 

"To  meet  some  old  comrades,  sir,  down  by  Cam- 
den Station.  They  have  a  theatre  pass  till  midnight; 
then  I'll  take  the  train  to  Philadelphia."  The 
answer  was  prompt  and  respectful. 

"You  have  a  long  walk  for  a  man  recently 
wounded,"  said  the  lieutenant,  still  glancing  over  the 
furlough. 

"I'll  take  a  cab,  sir,  at  the  square,  if  the  lieutenant 
has  no  objection." 

"Oh,  of  course  not.  It's  all  right  if  you  have 
money  to  throw  away." 

"We  never  could  save  money  in  our  regiment,  sir," 
said  the  trooper,  with  a  quiet  smile  that  showed  the 
strong  white  teeth  underneath  the  drooping  mous- 
tache, and  lightened  for  a  moment  the  tired,  almost 
pathetic,  look  about  the  deef)-blue  eyes.  He  received 
respectfully,  yet  mth  an  unconscious  dignity  of  man- 
ner, the  papers  returned  to  him,  saluted  with  punc- 
tilious deference,  and  then,  though  his  fine  face 
clouded  with  instant  thought  and  anxiety  as  soon  as 
he  was  free,  went  quietly  on  his  way,  followed  by 
the  regard  of  more  than  one  pair  of  eyes  in  the 
patrol. 

"That  man  looks  soldier  enough  to  be  a  colonel 
any  day,"  was  the  muttered  comment  of  the  lieu- 
tenant, "and  I've  seen  him  somewhere — in  better 
clothes."     Then  the  silent  squad  marched  on. 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  381 

But  the  driver  of  the  "waiting  cab  diverged  from 
the  route  to  Camden  Station  before  he'd  gone  three- 
quarters  of  a  mile,  and  as  the  city  clocks  were 
striking  eleven,  reined  up  in  a  side  street  near  an 
o\)e\\  square.  The  soldier  sprang  forth,  shot  into  a 
dark  alley-way,  and  the  cab  whipjDed  up  again.  In 
ten  minutes  it  was  back,  its  lamps  gleaming  opposite 
the  end  of  the  alley.  A  gate  opened  a  few  paces 
away,  and  a  woman's  voice,  low,  intense,  prayerful, 
murmured,  "I  shall  spend  the  hours  on  my  knees. 
Oh,  God  speed,  God  bless  you,  my  boy!"  There  was 
a  lingering  handclasp,  but  no  response. 

"To  the  stable,"  was  the  muttered  order,  as  Bell 
resumed  his  place,  with  a  bulky  parcel  on  his  arm, 
and  again  the  light  vehicle  darted  away,  this  time 
turning  sharp  about  and  threading  a  course  through 
the  side  streets,  past  shops  and  dwellings,  dark  or 
dimly  lighted,  until  at  last  it  hauled  up  at  a  corner 
in  rear  of  some  massive  buildings,  and  Bell,  bundle 
laden,  stepped  out,  handed  the  driver  a  greenback, 
briefly  said  ''Good-night,"  and,  wasting  no  further 
words,  strode  calmly  and  confidently  into  the  door- 
way of  a  roomy  stable,  passed  on  to  a  harness-room 
at  the  rear,  and  there,  polishing  a  pair  of  high  boots 
and  hissing  away,  trooper  fashion,  at  his  task,  sat 
Morrissey. 

"Which?"   muttered  Bell,  as  he  passed  him  by. 

"The  second,  the  door  av  it's  open  on  this  side," 
was  the  Irishman's  answer,  and  in  a  moment  Bell's 
bundle  was  exchanged  for  one  that  lay  in  the  depths 


382         THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

of  a  closed  carriage,  standing  with  others  under  an 
open  shed.  A  paved  conrt-yard  lay  beyond,  and 
farther  still  were  the  walls  and  windows  of  a  biff 
hotel.    Presently  back  came  the  tall  trooper  again. 

"Now,  Morrissey,  there's  no  time  to  lose.  The 
doctor's  gone  probably.  Run  ujd  to  the  room  for  ten 
minutes,  and  then,  mind  now,  only  three  drinks,  just 
enough,  old  boy,  so  that  they  can  see  it  when  jou 
order  the  carriage.  No  more  till  after  you  pick  me 
up  at  the  side  entrance.  Carrick  will  drive  as  usual, 
and  you  saddle  while  Carrick  is  hitching  in." 

Together,  bundle  laden,  the  two  soldiere  passed 
by  a  rear  stairway  used  by  the  servants  only,  up  to 
the  corridors  of  the  old  hotel.  Morrissey  softly  en- 
tered the  general's  room ;  Bell  passed  on  to  one  a  few 
steps  beyond  and  locked  the  door  behind  him. 

Midnight  and  the  bells  of  the  city  had  ceased  their 
solemn  chiming.  The  roysterers  among  the  various 
resorts  along  the  wharves  were  scattering  to  their 
undesired  roosts  before  the  bayonets  of  the  hated 
patrol.  The  dark  shadows  of  the  ugly  brown  bar- 
racks on  the  height  were  unrelieved  by  the  light  of 
a  solitary  lamp.  Out  on  the  northward  slope  a 
pacing  sentry  looked  down  upon  the  placid  harbor, 
hemmed  by  gloomy  fore-sts  of  masts  and  cordage,  by 
black  and  frowning  warehouses.  The  silent  streets 
were  outlined  by  dim,  yellow  dots  of  gas-lamps,  and 
farther  down  the  broadening  estuary  the  surface  of 
the  waters  sparkled  with  the  faces  of  the  myriad  stars 
and  the  riding  lights  of  the  ships  that  lay  at  anchor, 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  383 

some  within  the  point,  others  still  farther  beyond  and 
under  the  bristling  ramparts  of  Fort  McHenry. 
There  they  floated,  store-ships,  transports,  merchant- 
men, and,  hovering  close  at  hand,  watching  them 
like  marine  sheep-dogs,  the  few  men-of-war, 
where, — 

"  Here  and  there  ii  twinklin<j  port  reflected  on  the  deep 
In  many  a  wavy  shadow  showed  their  su.len  guns  asleep." 

^o  breath  of  air  was  stirring.  A  belated  watch 
striking  eight  bells  aboard  a  distant  bark,  full  two 
minutes  after  the  dull  booming  of  the  city  towers  had 
ceased,  sent  his  tinkling  knell  to  the  departed  day, 
sweet,  clear,  and  vibrant,  quivering  like  silver  string 
npon  the  night,  and  the  dreaming  sentry  at  the  gate- 
Avay,  his  thoughts  wandering  far  homeward  to  the 
hills  of  the  Connecticut  Valley,  whirled  about  at  the 
sudden  crunch  and  sputter  of  horses'  hoofs  coming 
rapidly  up  the  sharp  incline,  and  his  bayonet  clashed 
with  unusual  menace  as  it  came  down  to  the  charge, 
while  stern  and  sharp  the  challenge  rang  out,  "Who 
comes  there?" 

'Trind  wid  the  counthersign,"  responded  a  loud, 
jovial,  yet  thick  Milesian  voice,  as  the  coming  horse- 
man slackened  speetl. 

"Halt!  Dismount!  Corporal  of  the  guard,  frind 
Avid  the  counthersign,"  responded  the  sentry,  keen 
to  the  customs  of  war  in  like  cases,  yet,  because  of 
the  interruption  to  his  visions  of  home  and  loved 
ones,  venting  his  spleen  in  mischievous  and  not  un- 


384  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

recognizable  imitation  of  the  Celtic  accent.  "It's 
the  general's  orderly,  Morrissey,"  he  muttered,  as  the 
corporal  came  darting  out  of  the  guard  tent,  rifle  in 
hand,  to  inspect  the  midnight  intruder. 

"Boonesborough,  and  be  damned  to  ye!"  was  Mor- 
rissey's  intemperate  response  to  the  demand  for  the 
soldier  credentials  required  by  the  regulations;  "and 
I  can  lick  the  wooden  clock-maker  that  masquerades 
there  as  a  soldier  on  yon  post.  D'ye  hear  that,  you?" 
and  it  was  patent  to  the  military  eye  and  ear  that 
the  general's  orderly  had  had  a  drop  too  much ;  "an' 
I'd  do  it  now  if  ye'd  sthep  out  av  your  belts  and  onto 
the  grass  yonder,  but  that  the  gineral's  jist  behind. 
Turr'n  out  your  gyard,  ye  lousy  son  av  a  wooden 

nutmeg "     But  the  coming  crash  of  hoofs  and 

whirr  of  carriage-wheels  put  sudden  end  to  his  im- 
pudence. The  senior  officer  of  the  guard  came 
springing  from  his  tent  within  the  gate-way.  Several 
of  the  guard  seized  their  rifles,  as  though  expectant 
of  the  order  to  fall  in.  The  carriage  reined  up 
almost  in  their  midst  before  the  lieutenant  had  time 
to  further  question  its  exhilarated  advance  guard. 
The  light  of  the  guard  lantern  fell  full  on  the  clear- 
cut,  soldierly  face  at  the  right  window  of  the  car- 
riage; on  the  forage-cap  pulled  down  to  the  brows 
of  the  keen  blue  eyes;  on  the  well  known  drooping 
moustache  sweeping  outward  at  the  ends  and  the 
pointed  imperial;  on  the  muscular  throat,  with  the 
velvet  collar  of  the  general  officer;  on  the  broad, 
square  shoulders  dotted  by  the  glistening  silver  stars. 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  385 

"Fall  in  the  guard!"  shouted  the  sergeant  at  the 
sight,  but  there  was  instant  protest  in  low,  finn  tone 
from  the  carriage  window. 

"Xever  mind  the  guard,  sir.  I  do  not  wish  to  in- 
spect. Let  my  orderly  ride  in  ahead,  if  you  please, 
and  keep  the  gate  open  a  few  minutes  for  me.  He 
has  given  the  countersign,  I  presume." 

The  lantern  was  ^vithdrawn,  the  officers  and  the 
men  stood  at  the  salute  as  the  carriage  again  moved 
on.  There  was  another  and  briefer  parley  at  the  tent 
of  the  officer  of  the  prison  guard,  and  the  sentries 
at  the  door-way  of  the  rude  wooden  building  in 
which  Fairfax  was  confined  faced  outward  and  stood 
at  the  carry,  while  the  well-known  form  of  the  hand- 
some young  general  emerged  from  the  closed  car- 
riage, halted  one  moment  as  though  to  assure  the 
lieutenant,  who  hastened  to  join  him,  and  then 
passed  on  into  the  dark  interior,  followed  by  the 
officer  and  his  sergeant  with  the  keys. 

In  a  moment  these  latter  came  forth  and  found 
Morrissey  once  more  in  saddle,  and,  consequently, 
even  more  independently  truculent  than  if  only  in 
liquor,  saying  opprobrious  things  to  the  silent  sen- 
tries about  volunteers  in  general  and  Connecticut 
Yankees  in  particular.  A  general  officer's  orderly 
is  a  man  of  consequence,  even  though  garbed  as  a 
private  soldier,  and  while  the  lieutenant  hastened 
away  to  notify  the  captain  and  officer  of  the  day  of 
the  important  arrival,  the  sergeant  strove  to  smooth 
things  over.     "Any  other  Mick,"  he  said  next  day, 


386  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

''I'd  have  flattened  out  witli  the  butt  of  mv  gun,  but 
General  Belden's  man  was  sacred."  To  the  scandal 
of  the  sendee,  after  sarcastic  reference  to  the  war- 
riors at  the  outer  gate,  Trooper  Morrissey  had  the 
hardihood  to  produce  a  flask  from  his  saddle-bag 
and  to  take  a  long,  gurgling  pull  at  the  contents  by 
way  of  drinking  health  and  better  manners  to  his 
hearers,  who,  hailing  from  the  land  of  steady  habits 
and  thrifty  occupations,  were  a  living  reproach  to  so 
representative  a  son  of  the  sod  and  of  "the  old 
arrmy." 

"You'll  be  so  drunk  in  ten  minutes  you'll  tumble 
olf  your  horse,  man,"  said  the  sergeant,  in  dismay. 
"The  general  can't  help  seeing  you're  half-seas  over 
now.  Hush!  He's  calling. — Yes,  sir,  I'll  send  him 
right  in."  But  the  tall,  commanding  form  appeared 
at  the  door. 

"Morrissey,  ride  down  to  the  wharf  and  see  if  the 
boat  is  in  from  the  'JSTarragansett,'  and  let  me  know 
at  once." 

"Yis,  gineral."  And  the  Irishman,  with  impres- 
sive salute,  clattered  away  to  the  gate.  The  officers 
of  the  day  and  guard  were  hastening  together  to  the 
prison  at  the  moment  and  heard  the  orderly  as  he 
started. 

"The  general  sent  him  to  see  if  a  boat  was  at  the 
wharf  from  the  'jSTarragansett,'  "  was  the  sergeant's 
explanation. 

"Thank  God!"  said  the  junior  officer  again. 
"They've  got  some  mercy  for  the  poor  fellow  after 


THE   GENERALS  DOUBLE.  387 

all."  On  tiptoe  the  captain  stepped  witliiu  the  hall- 
way, but  the  door  to  Fairfax's  room  was  again 
closed.  A  faint  light  gleamed  through  a  crack  at  the 
sill,  but  he  could  hear  or  see  nothing  without  stand- 
ing there  and  lifting  the  hinged  shutter  to  the  gi-ated 
aperture,  and  something  told  him  that  this  was  not 
appropriate  in  presence  of  the  general  commanding. 
Chatting  in  low  tones,  once  more  the  officers  stood 
together  under  the  starlight.  The  sergeant  spoke  of 
the  evident  intoxication  of  the  Irish  orderly,  and 
wondered  that  the  general  hadn't  seen  it.  The 
driver  explained, — the  same  who  drove  on  the  open 
carriage  at  dusk, — "Morrissey,"  said  he,  "is  a  char- 
acter. He  was  the  general's  orderly  in  his  old  regi- 
ment out  on  the  plains,  and  he  hasn't  touched  a  drop 
for  weeks,  but  he  thinks  almost  as  much  of  this  ]\Ir. 
Fairfax  as  he  does  of  the  general.  They  were  both 
his  officers  in  the  same  regiment  until  Virginia 
seceded.  Morrissey  took  a  drink  or  two  when  the 
permission  came  to  send  Mr.  Fairfax  round  by  sea. 
Don't  mind  anything  he  says.  He'll  be  sorry  for  it 
in  the  morning,  and  I'll  look  after  him  all  right." 

"When'd  the  telegram  come?"    asked  the  captain. 

"I  don't  know,  sir.  Morrissey  routed  me  out 
about  an  hour  ago;  said  the  general  wanted  the 
closed  carriage  at  once.  It'd  just  got  there  then,  I 
reckon.    What  keeps  'em,  d'you  s'pose?" 

The  officer  of  the  day  stepped  round  to  the  flank 
where  the  sentry  was  silently  pacing.  A  faint  light, 
but  no  sound,  came  from  the  barred  window.     Only 


388  'J'HE    GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

by  standing  on  a  bench  could  lie  look  in,  and  this  he 
shrank  from  doing.  "I  stepped  up  there,  sir,"  said 
the  sentry,  "when  I  saw  the  light,  but  the  general, 
he  came  to  the  window  and  told  me  never  mind,  he'd 
come  with  neAvs  for  the  prisoner." 

]^ews,  indeed!  Starting  from  a  troubled  sleep  at 
the  touch  of  a  hand  upon  his  arm  and  the  murmur 
of  a  voice,  Floyd  Fairfax  gazed  up  eagerly  at  the 
dimly  outlined  form  bending  over  his  bed,  and  stam- 
mered, "Who-o-who  says  this?  I  do  not  understand. 
Who  are  you?" 

"Ask  no  questions,  Fairfax,"  was  the  whispered 
answer.  "Your  life  depends  on  it.  Make  no  noise. 
I'm  here  to  lead  you  to  safety.  Your  friends  are 
waiting  for  you  barely  ten  miles  away.  My  carriage 
is  here  at  the  door  under  a  general's  orders  and  es- 
cort. J^one  dare  stop  it.  Listen,  I  say,"  for  the 
Virginian  would  have  interrupted.  "I  must  strike  a 
light  in  a  moment  and  you  must  hurry  into  your 
clothes.  Xow,  I  warn  you  solemnly,  not  an  exclama- 
tion, not  a  sound!"  And  with  that  the  shadowy 
visitor  turned  to  the  table.  A  match  scratched  and 
sputtered.  The  blue  flame  feebly  shone  a  moment; 
then  clear  and  strong  a  yellow  light  spread  over  the 
curtainless  room  and  revealed  in  outline  the  tall, 
stalwart  figure  of  an  officer  in  Union  uniform.  His 
waist  was  girt  with  the  yellow  sash  and  gold-barred 
belt  of  a  general.  From  the  bed  came  a  gasp  of  in- 
credulity and  amaze,  but  the  stranger  never  turned. 
He  lighted  the  candle.     Then  leaving  it  on  the  table 


THE   GENERALS  DOUBLE.  389 

SO  that  when  he  faced  the  astonished  Virginian  its 
beams  would  fall  upon  his  back,  he  calmly  twirled 
upon  his  heel  and  stood  before  the  prisoner,  erect, 
silent,  almost  stern. 

"Belden!  Belden!  In  God's  name,  are  you  mad?" 
was  the  stifled  cry,  as  Fairfax,  with  staring  eyes,  fell 
back  upon  his  pillow,  and  now  there  was  command  in 
the  stern  low  tone  and  uplifted  hand. 

"Silence,  man!  and  dress  instantly!  What  you 
see  your  guards  see,  and  believe,"  was  the  whisper. 
"Xow  I  have  orders  to  give,  but  you  get  up  at  once." 

Yet  when  the  general  returned,  having  despatched 
Morrissey  on  his  errand,  Fairfax  still  sat  like  one  in 
a  daze^  a  look  of  awe,  if  not  almost  of  terror,  on  his 
face,  for  now  the  light,  dim  though  it  was,  fell  full 
on  the  features  of  the  visitor  as  he  re-entered. 
Shrinking  back,  the  Virginian  stared,  speechless  one 
moment,  then  came  the  words, — 

"Face  and  form  you  are  Belden.  Voice  and  car- 
riage you  are  not.     Only  one  man  I  ever  knew  had 

your  voice,  and  he In  God's  name,  who  are 

you,  if  not  Jack  Lowndes  risen  from  the  dead?" 

".lack  Lowndes,  whom  you  killed  at  Bull  Bun,  but 
forgot  to  bury,"  was  the  placid  response.  "Xow,  will 
you  dress,  or  go  to  Lafayette  at  reveille  and  be 
hanged  as  a  spy  the  next  day?  Damnation,  man,  if 
you're  not  dressed  in  five  minutes,  I'll  call  my  guards 
and  pitch  you  into  the  carriage,  neck  and  crop!" 

Just  as  the  solemn  bells  of  Baltimore  were  striking 
one,  and  in  silvery,  mellow  tinkling  the  swarm  of 


390  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

ships  chimed  their  double  strokes,  there  issued  from 
the  dark  portal  of  the  prison  two  tall  and  manly 
figures,  the  one  on  the  right  buttoned  to  the  throat  in 
the  double-breasted  frock  of  a  general  officer  of  the 
Union  army,  his  belt,  sash,  and  shoulder-straps 
gleaming  in  the  light  of  the  sergeant's  lantern,  the 
one  on  the  left,  leaning  slightly  on  his  conductor's 
arm,  attired  in  worn  Confederate  gray. 

"I  relieve  you  of  your  charge,  gentlemen,"  said 
the  former,  in  the  same  low,  grave  tones.  "Captain, 
will  you  kindly  assist  Colonel  Fairfax?  That  leg 
won't  bear  much  weight  as  yet." 

"May  I  not  thank  you,  gentlemen,"  said  the  Vir- 
ginian, with  high-bred  courtes}',  as  he  took  his  seat, 
"for  the  consideration  and  kindness  that  you  have 
shown  me?"  He  extended  his  slim  white  hand. 
Captain  and  lieutenant  both  grasped  and  shook  it, 
and  wished  him  happier  fortune.  "Morrissey  will 
return  for  the  colonel's  luggage  in  the  morning," 
said  the  general.  "He  should  be  here  now.  Good- 
night, gentlemen." 

"Good-night,  sir."  And  with  these  parting  words 
the  carriage  whirled  quickly  towards  the  gate,  and 
past  the  post  of  the  main  guard.  Here  there  was  a 
momentary  halt  and  parley. 

"I  beg  pardon,  general,"  said  a  voice;  "I'm  officer 
of  the  guard,  sir;  I'm  afraid  your  orderly's  been 
drinking.  He's  just  tumbled  oft"  his  horse,  and  I 
don't  think  he  can  mount  again." 

"The  scoundrel!"    exclaimed  the  brigadier,  impa- 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  391 

tiently.  "Wliere  is  lie?"  And  Morrissej,  limp  and 
protesting,  was  lugged  to  tlie  carriage  door. 

"Sure,  tlie  gineral  knows  I  can  ride  anything  on 
four  legs,  drunk  or  sober,"  was  his  maudlin  cry,  and 
then  his  own  long  legs  gave  way  under  him. 

"Here,  pitch  him  right  in,  sergeant!  I've  had  to 
pull  the  old  rascal  tlirough  many  a  scrape  before. 
Give  me  the  rein  of  his  horse  and  give  the  horse  a 
whack  when  we  start,  and  he'll  follow  all  right.  Go 
on,  driver.  Lie  still,  there,  Morrissey.  Good-night." 
And  so  down  the  incline  they  sped  to  the  silent  street 
below,  and  away  towards  the  deserted  wharves.  But 
the  minute  they  were  out  of  sight  and  hearing  of 
the  sentry-posts,  Morrissey  sprang  up  and  began  to 
squirm  out  of  his  trooper  jacket,  and  the  general 
spoke, — 

"Off  with  that  uniform,  Fairfax!  Once  more  you 
don  the  Union  blue,  sir.  Once  more  you've  got  to 
ride  for  your  life  in  an  old  Second  Cavalry  saddle. 
Think  of  the  night  the  Comanches  chased  you  into 
camp  on  the  Wichita,  and  ride  like  the  wind  for  old 
Carrick's  place — you  remember  it — out  towards  the 
Point.  You'll  be  on  the  Eastern  Shore,  safe  and 
sound,  at  daybreak." 

But  still  the  Virginian  hesitated.  "One  moment, 
Lowndes.  You've  learned  your  part  and  my  past  to 
perfection, — at  Heatherwood,  I  suppose.  What 
rank  you  hold,  what  name  you  bear  on  the  Federal 
rolls,  I  cannot  guess,  but  this  night  you're  in 
masquerade  as  Belden.     Give  me  your  word  that  he 


392  THE   GENERALS   DOUBLE. 

will  be  in  no  wise  involved,  or  by  God!  I  go  back 
to  prison." 

"You  can't.  You're  my  prisoner.  General  Bel- 
den  is  sleeping  in  his  bed,  the  doctor  by  his  bedside. 
It  will  be  proved  he  never  left  the  room." 

"Then  you  and  this  gallant  old  friend  and  com- 
rade, Morrissey.  Your  honor  as  an  officer — his 
liberty." 

"All  that  was  officer  in  me  was  killed  at  Bull  Run. 
As  for  Morrissey,  nothing  can  be  proved  but  that  he 
was  obeying  the  orders  of  the  man  everybody  be- 
lieved to  be  the  general  commanding.  A  plain  drunk 
is  the  extent  of  his  offending, — a  soldier  sin  he'd 
venture  any  day  for  a  thousandth  part  of  what  this 
will  net  him." 

And  still  Fairfax  hung  back  and  strove  to  repel 
the  eilorts  of  Morrissey  to  aid  him  out  of  his  coat. 
"There's  one  thing  more  I've  got  to  know,  Lowndes," 
and  the  dull  glare  of  a  gas-lamp  shining  for  a  swift 
moment  on  his  face  showed  the  tension  of  his 
thought.  "Before  Bull  Run  I  believed  you  stood — 
between  me  and  my  most  cherished  hope.  What 
does  it  mean  that  you,  a  Union  man,  are  daring,  God 
only  knows  wdiat  penalties,  to  save  me?" 

"It  means  simply,"  answered  his  companion, 
slowly,  as  the  carriage  sped  by  the  switch-lights  of 
the  railway,  and  jolted  over  rough,  unpaved  streets 
at  the  outskirts,  "that  no  Union  man  who  knows  the 
truth  would  have  you  hanged  as  a  spy.  We  tight 
in  fair  field,  sir.  You  assumed  that  disguise  for — a 
woman's  sake,  not  for  Virc^inia  or  the  South." 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  393 

For  another  moment  Fairfax  could  not  speak,  his 
voice  failing  him  through  the  force  of  his  emotion. 
"Words  of  further  gratitude  sprang  to  his  lips,  jet 
died  there.  At  last,  "Lowndes,"  he  murmured,  ''may 
God  grant  me  life  to  show  mv  appreciation.  I  have 
misjudged  you  utterly.  But  if  I  should  be 
killed " 

"You  ivill  be  if  you  are  not  out  of  that  dress  and 
into  this  in  five  minutes.  Your  pass  as  orderly  is  in 
the  right  hand  saddle-bag,  the  countersign  is  Boones- 
borough,  in  case  you  meet  patrols,  as  you  probably 
will.  Quick  now,  you  have  to  mount  and  we  must 
leave  you  in  a  minute.  Carrick's  boat  is  waiting  for 
you  at  the  old  bank;  the  Heatherwoods  planned  it 
all" 

And  though  the  speaker's  lips  set  tight  as  he  fin- 
ished the  words,  he  went  on  unflinchingly.  Three 
minutes  later  the  carriage  stopped. 

"I  can  go  no  farther,  sir,  without  danger  of  being 
heard  by  the  guard  at  the  cross-roads,"  murmured 
the  driver. 

The  occupants  stepped  out  upon  the  dusty  side 
street.  Away  to  the  northward,  behind  them,  a  dull 
glow  in  the  sky  and  the  dim  lights  underneath 
marked  the  site  of  the  city.  Around  them  were 
open  fields  and  scattered  houses.  Quickly  Morrissey, 
as  he  would  have  done  of  old,  brushed  the  dust  from 
the  saddle  of  the  wondering  horse,  then  held  the 
mud-flecked  hood  of  the  stirrup.  Slowly,  painfully 
the  tall  Virginian  swung  into  saddle,  and  sat  there, 


394  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

attired  from  top  to  waist  in  tlie  uniform  of  the  Union 
trooper,  and  liis  dull  gray  trousers,  thrust  into  long 
boots,  would  hardly  be  distinguishable  at  night  from 
dusty  blue.  Around  his  waist  Mon-issey  clasped  the 
sabre-belt.  ''Lord  love  ye,  sorr,  I  was  niver  a  finer- 
looking  arrderly  meself ,  even  when  I  sthrutted  in  the 
thraeks  of  Colonel  Lee." 

A  hand-clasp  and  hearty  shake  to  the  sympathetic 
Irishman,  and  then,  drawing  off  the  gauntlet,  Fair- 
fax bent  down  to  the  other  side. 

"Lo^vndes,"  he  murmured,  as  his  slim  hand  was 
somewhat  loosely  clasped,  "there  is  something  yet  I 
must  ask,  something  I  cannot  fathom, — What  has 
Miss  Heatherwood  to  do  with  this — infinite  service 
you  are  doing  for  me?" 

And  the  answer  came  with  but  a  moment's  delay: 
"Pretty  much  everything.  Remember  now,  you  are 
riding  for  her  sake." 


CHAPTER   XXVIII. 

The  devil  to  pay  in  Baltimore,  indeed!  The  sun- 
rise guns  had  hardly  boomed  from  Federal  Hill  and 
Fort  McHenry,  when  General  Belden,  accompanied 
by  his  aide-de-camp,  who  looked  somehow  as  though 
he'd  been  up  all  night, — which  it  subsequently  tran- 
spired he  had,  j^laying  poker  with  a  jovial  coterie  of 
junior  officers  not  a  block  away  from  Barnum's, — 
and  followed  by  an  orderly  and  a  closed  carriage,  in 
which  sat  Dr.  Morrow,  rode  j)ast  the  saluting  guard 
and  in  among  the  barracks,  and  looked  surprised  to 
see  no  sentries  at  the  j^rison. 

"Where  are  your  men?"  he  briefly  asked  the  cap- 
tain who  hurried  to  his  side. 

"Why,  we  took  'em  off,  sir.  I  didn't  suppose  they 
were  to  be  kept  on  after  the  prisoner  was  removed." 

"Prisoner  removed!    What  do  you  mean?" 

The  captain  turned  various  colors.  Was  it  pos- 
sible that  Morrissey's  whiskey  had  befuddled  the 
general  too. 

"Colonel  Fairfax  was  the  only  prisoner  in  there, 
sir,  and  you  took  him  away  at  one  o'clock." 

Belden  was  off  his  horse  in  an  instant.  "/  take 
him  off!  Man  alive,  you're  dreaming!  I  haven't 
been  here  since  ten  o'clock  last  night."  And  he 
sprang  up  the  stej^s  and  into  the  dark  hall-way.    For 

395 


39G  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

a  moment  the  officer  of  the  day  seemed  stricken 
dumb;  then  lie  shouted  for  his  lieutenant  and  the 
sergeant  of  the  guard,  who  came  on  the  run,  just  as 
Belden  reappeared,  pale  as  a  sheet,  his  cap  off,  the 
perspiration  starting  from  his  brow.  "Quick!"  he 
ordered.  "Tell  me  what  you  mean?  When? 
How ?" 

"Why,  General  Belden,  I'm  not  dreaming,"  cried 
the  officer.  "These  gentlemen  were  with  me.  They 
know.  They'll  corroborate  what  I  say.  It  was  you, 
sir,  came  with  a  carriage  just  like  this,  and  Morrissey 
— only  Morrisscy  had  been  drinking.  Surely  you 
remember,  sir.  You  were  dressed  exactly  as  you  are 
now.  You  had  the  same  carriage,  but  a  different 
driver.  You  know,  lieutenant.  You  saw  it,  ser- 
geant." And  with  consternation  in  their  faces,  the 
subordinates  murmured  assent.  Morrow  had  sprung 
from  the  carriage  and  was  standing,  actually  trem- 
bling, by  the  general's  side;  the  latter  stood  appar- 
ently stunned. 

"Do  you  mean  he's  gone?"    gasped  the  doctor. 

"j\Iy  God!  sir,  I  mean  the  general  himself  came 
and  got  him, — the  only  man  who  could  take  him 
came  and  got  him,"  moaned  the  Connecticut  officer, 
gazing  from  one  to  another,  as  though  ready  to  be- 
lieve himself  the  victim  of  some  foul  conspiracy 
against  the  government. 

"And  he  had  this  carriage — and  Morrissey?" 
cross-questioned  the  doctor. 

"Yes,  sir,  this  very  one." 


THE   GEXERALS  DOUBLE.  307 

Morrow  looked  to  the  driver,  wlio  sat  wondering 
and  embarrassed,  flicking  witli  liis  whip-lash  at  the 
flies  alighting  on  his  horse's  twitching  flanks. 

"It  was  out,  sir,  till  nearly  three  o'clock,  Carrick 
driving.  'Twas  all  covered  with  mud  when  I  was 
called  this  morning.  It  took  four  niggers  twenty 
minutes  to  clean  it.  Morrissey  wasn't  to  be  found 
anywhere." 

Five  minutes  more  and  the  general  was  spurring 
to  head-quarters.  In  half  an  hour  telegrams  were 
flashing  to  Washington.  By  six  the  provost-guard 
was  searching  high  and  low,  and  secret  service  men 
were  boarding  every  boat  and  train.  Morrissey, 
limp  and  bedraggled,  was  hauled  from  the  stable 
loft,  half  dazed  wdtli  whiskey,  yet  loudly  damning 
everybody  for  disturbing  his  rest  after  he'd  "been  out 
wid  the  gineral  half  the  night."  "Where's  me 
haarse?  Shure  the  gineral  let  him  go,  afther  he'd 
ordered  me  to  dismount  and  get  inside,  breaking  the 
heart  av  me  that  had  taught  him  all  the  cavalry 
tricks  he  ever  knew,  Who  was  wid  us?  Xobody 
but  jist  Loot'nant  Fairfax  takin'  a  ride  wid  his  ould 
frinds  till  I  went  to  slape  and  niver  knew  nothing- 
till  we  got  back  to  Barnum's,  and  the  gineral  went  to 
his  room  an'  I  followed  to  get  his  boots  and  clothes. 
Xo  man  can  say  I  was  dhrunk  when  I  could  tind  to 
all  me  jewties  like  that." 

Worse  and  more  bewildering  grew  the  situation  as 
the  morning  wore  on.  Morrow  declared  that,  re- 
turning  from   a   visit   to   friends   at   midnight,    he 


398  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

peeped  in  at  his  patient  and  found  him  soundly  sleep- 
ing; that  again  he  visited  the  room  at  one  and  at 
two,  and  there  the  general  lay  like  a  tired  child.  Yet 
hotel  employes  declared  that  only  a  few  minutes 
before  twelve,  in  complete  uniform,  with  sash,  belt, 
and  sword,  the  general  had  descended  to  the  ladies' 
parlor,  and  had  then  taken  Carrick's  carriage  at  the 
side  entrance.  The  night  watchman  declared  that 
shortly  before  three  the  general  returned  by  the  same 
route  and  went  up  to  the  third  floor,  Morrissey 
lurching  after  him,  but  without  the  cap  and  jacket, 
belt  and  sword  with  which  he  started.  He  wore  in- 
stead a  flannel  blouse  and  a  battered  hat,  and  was 
plainly  drunk.  The  general  seemed  angered  at  him, 
yet  permitted  him  to  follow  to  his  room.  Towards 
four  o'clock  the  watchman  saw  another  soldier,  who 
had  been  with  Morrissey  earlier,  go  down  the  back 
stairs  with  him  from  the  servants'  quarters,  where 
the  orderly  had  a  little  sleeping-room.  This  other 
seemed  trying  to  help  the  Irishman  to  the  stable,  and 
that  was  all. 

At  noon  there  came  officials  from  Washington  to 
conduct  investigations.  At  12.30  the  major-general 
returned  from  the  West  and  was  closeted  with  the 
new-comers,  while  Belden,  still  half  dazed  and  all 
distress  and  apprehension,  paced  in  restless  misery 
the  adjoining  room.  At  one  o'clock  all  Baltimore 
was  athrill  with  the  news  that  during  the  night  Colo- 
nel Fairfax  had  been  released  from  prison  by 
General  Belden  himself,  and  at  two  that  Belden  was 


THE   GENERALS  DOUBLE.  399 

in  turn  a  prisoner.  Other  Union  generals  accused 
of  disloyalty  liad  languished  without  trial,  one,  at 
least,  at  Lafayette, — why  not  Belden?  Twice  before 
had  he  incurred  the  suspicions  of  the  AVar  Secretary, 
and  no  amount  of  heroic  service  in  the  field  seemed 
to  counterbalance  the  attaint  of  lukewarm  patriotism 
at  the  rear.  Small  wonder,  either,  with  treason 
stalking  unrebuked  throughout  the  streets  of 
Northern  cities,  preached  by  more  than  one  paper  in 
many  a  State,  practised  by  mobs  of  foreign-born  citi- 
zens and  spread  far  and  wide  through  the  venom  of 
the  copperhead.  Harassed  as  he  was,  front,  flank, 
and  rear;  prejudiced  as  he  had  grown  to  be  through 
reports  of  Belden's  previous  record, — his  altercation 
with  that  sturdy  patriot  Foulweather;  his  old  com- 
radeship with  Stuart,  Fitz  Lee,  Hood,  and  Fairfax; 
his  early  teachings  in  the  old  regiment  under  Sidney 
Johnston  and  liobert  E.  Lee;  his  alleged  intimacy 
with  the  Heatherwoods;  his  avowed  sympathy  with 
Fairfax  and  persistent  efforts  in  his  behalf, — these 
were  enough  to  poison  the  mind  of  milder  men  than 
Stanton.  And  when  soon  after  one  the  despatch 
reached  him  over  the  wires  that  the  returned  major- 
general  considered  the  evidence  against  Belden  such 
as  demanded  immediate  arrest,  the  order  flashed  back 
instanter.  At  three  that  afternoon,  overwhelmed 
with  consternation  and  dismay.  General  Grosvenor 
Belden  was  shut  in  a  close  room  at  head-quarters, 
Avith  bristling  bayonets  at  the  doors,  no  arrest  on 
honor  being  deemed  sufficient  in  his  case.     The  Con- 


400        THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

necticut  officers,  deprived  of  tlieii-  swords,  were  con- 
fined to  their  tents  as  possible  accomplices.  Dr.  Mor- 
row, shadowed  by  secret  service  men,  was  fuming 
about  the  hotel  and  head-quarters,  protesting  against 
the  whole  affair,  and  swearing  that  Belden  had  never 
left  his  bed  from  10.30  until  dawn;  and  Morrissey, 
also  swearing,  but  after  the  manner  of  a  pirate,  and 
fighting  like  a  mad  man,  was  lugged  to  the  guard- 
house, ''a  thing  of  shreds  and  patches." 

''All  this  on  or  about  the  25th  day  of  July,  1863, 
in  or  about  the  city  of  Baltimore,  Maryland,"  as  the 
laboriously  drawn  specifications  later  said.  Then, 
away  down  along  the  south  shore  of  the  Patapsco  was 
found  that  very  morning  a  riderless  horse  with  the 
government  brand  and  cavalry  equipments,  an  or- 
derly's pass  for  one,  Trooper  Morrissey,  in  the  off 
saddle-bag,  which  receptacle  was  half-full  of  soldier 
traps,  including  a  flask  of  portentous  size,  itself  half- 
full  of  whiskey.  "Timothy"  was  grazing  contentedly 
by  the  roadside  when  gathered  in  by  a  Maryland 
farmer,  whose  face  was  guileless  as  he  answered  the 
sharp  questions  of  the  swift-coming  scouts.  A 
famous  place  for  oyster-boats  were  the  flats  of  the 
Chesapeake,  despite  the  fact  that  July  was  not  the 
famous  month  for  oysters,  and  the  "ISTarragansett" 
ploughed  her  way  through  quite  a  fleet  of  sails  after 
she  weighed  anchor  in  the  early  morning.  The  soft 
bosom  of  the  bay  was  dotted  by  peaceable  craft  in 
dozens,  for  crabbing  was  good  and  so  were  clams, 
and  old  man  Carrick's  fishing-place  seemed  to  have 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  401 

been  alive  at  a  very  earlv  hour  that  morning,  too, 
for  when  the  scouts  came  galloping  thither  between 
six  and  seven  and  asking  eagerly  whether  he  had 
fitted  out  any  parties  that  morning,  Carrick  was  fain 
to  admit  that  there  were  ''no  less  than  three  come 
down  before  sun  up."  His  boys  had  them  somewhere 
along  shore  now;  but  Carrick  didn't  say  for  whom 
was  engaged  his  best  boat  and  oars  and  oarsmen  two 
days  ahead,  or  who  came  trotting  thither  in  the  dark 
hours  before  the  dawn  and  was  out  of  a  Yankee  uni- 
form and  into  a  Secesli  coat  before  you  could  say 
Jack  Robinson.  That  uniform,  weighted  with 
stones,  was  dropped  overboard  when  the  little  craft 
was  half-way  over  towards  Sparrows'  Point. 
Another,  a  worn  Confederate  gray  coat,  was  loaded 
with  railway  spikes  and  pitched  over  the  bridge  rail 
by  ]\Iorrissey  on  the  homeward  way,  after  which  the 
carriage  had  rolled  swiftly  back  to  Barnum's.  Spar- 
rows' was  a  point  on  the  northeast  side  of  the  bay, 
and  while  two  lusty  oarsmen  pulled  silently  out  over 
the  dark  watei*s,  keeping  well  away  from  the  riding 
lights  of  many  a  shadowy  hull,  yet  peering  eagerly 
through  the  faint  mists  that  rose  from  the  placid  sur- 
face, the  old  man  blessed  the  stars  that  had  given 
him  such  plucky  sons,  and  led  the  wondering  cavalry 
horse  well  out  ujjon  the  roadway,  headed  him  for 
the  dull  glow  above  the  westward  city,  and,  with  a 
resounding  thwack  or  two  across  his  outraged 
haunches,  sent  him  clattering  homeward.  Long  be- 
fore the  "Narragansett"  left  a  streak  of  foam  between 

2G 


402  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

the  old  fishing-pier  and  the  glowing  eastern  sky,  the 
boys  were  back  and  ready  to  take  folks  a-fishing 
should  they  come, — as  speedily  they  did, — and  he 
who  had  been  their  passenger  was  safely  under 
hatches  on  a  little  coasting  schooner,  far  over 
towards  that  dreamy,  sleepy,  old-fashioned  region, 
low  lying  across  the  Chesapeake,  and  known  as  the 
"Eastern  Shore."  Easier  was  it  to  find  a  needle  in  a 
haystack  than  an  escaped  Confederate  when  once  he 
reached  the  drowsy  confines  of  Kent,  Queen  Anne, 
or  Talbot. 

That  Colonel  Fairfax  had  been  aided  by  the  con- 
certed action  of  many  friends  in  Baltimore  was  of 
course  the  prompt  conviction  of  all  the  Union  offi- 
cers. That  Belden  could  have  lent  himself  to  the 
plot  was  readily  believed  by  quite  a  number  who  had 
no  previous  knowledge  of  the  man,  of  the  old  army, 
or  of  the  customs  of  war.  The  major-general  com- 
manding had  no  doubts  whatever,  and  sneered  at 
those  who  ventured  to  entertain  them.  The  men 
who  knew  Belden  and  believed  in  him  were  either 
at  the  distant  front,  where  they  belonged,  or 
languishing  from  wounds  in  far-away  homes  or  hos- 
pitals. For  forty-eight  hours  the  papers  were  full  of 
exciting  detail,  and  their  editorials  of  denunciation 
and  dismay  consequent  upon  this  new  exhibition 
of  treason  in  the  camp.  For  forty-eight  hours  the 
name  of  Belden  was  held  up  to  execration  all  over 
the  ^orth,  and  that  of  Fairfax  as  a  triple-turned 
spy  and  traitor.     For  forty-eight  hours  the  secret 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  403 

service  officials  swarmed  about  the  homes  of  many 
a  prominent  family  in  Baltimore,  and  once  more  the 
Ileatherwoods  were  forbidden  to  leave  their  doors. 
For  forty-eight  hours  loving  hearts  were  praying 
fervently  for  further  tidings  that  should  have  come, 
signalled  or  sent  through  that  mysterious  agency 
that  proved  so  subtle  and  so  strong  throughout  the 
long  four  years,  yet  seemed  to  falter  now.  For  forty- 
eight  hours  at  a  dozen  hearthstones  in  the  old 
Southern  city  there  dwelt  an  agony  of  suspense,  for 
the  news  so  prayed  for  came  not.  They  whose  joy 
had  overflowed  at  the  whispered  tidings  of  the  escape 
now  clung  to  one  another  shuddering  at  the  vigor  of 
the  pursuit,  the  energy  and  wrath  of  the  Union 
leaders,  and  the  probability  that  prompt  action  had 
defeated  their  well-laid  plans  and  cut  off  the  fugi- 
tive's retreat.  For  forty-eight  hours  no  one  entered 
the  Heatherwood  house  except  on  government  busi- 
ness or  by  military  authority,  not  even  "the  butcher, 
the  baker,  and  the  candle-stick  maker,"  and  three 
unhappy  Avomen  kept  their  rooms  in  the  second  story 
or  gathered  for  comfort  and  support  by  the  couch  of 
the  gentle  mother  who  seemed  at  last  to  have  lost 
hope  and  courage  and  to  have  broken  down.  By  her 
side  knelt  her  daughter,  pallid,  silent,  tearless.  At 
the  window,  watching,  cat-like,  the  passers-by  and 
the  little  groups  that,  despite  the  orders  of  police 
and  patrols,  would  gather  and  stare,  Laura  Waddell, 
with  blazing  eyes  and  burning  cheeks,  knelt  for 
hours  at  a  time.     A  light  in  an  opposite  dormer-win- 


404  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

dow  by  night,  a  shade  withdrawn  by  day,  would 
mean  that  Fairfax  had  reached  in  safety  the  farm- 
house of  some  trusted  friends,  by  whom  he  would 
be  safely  hidden  until  opportunity  came  of  slipping 
over  into  Virginia  again  beyond  the  Union  lines. 
But  the  longed-for  signal  was  not  shown.  Once  a 
sad,  white  face  appeared  at  a  lower  window  just  at 
the  gloaming  of  the  second  day,  and  Laura  started 
nervously,  eagerly,  yet  with  her  hand  warned  Belle 
away.  Only  a  mournful  shake  of  the  head  answered 
the  appealing  gaze  from  the  windows  of  Mrs. 
Ileatherwood's  room.  There  was  no  news  of  Fairfax, 
and,  had  all  been  Avell,  they  should  have  heard  full 
thirty-six  houi-s  before.  It  w^as  then  that  Miss 
HeatherAvood,  too,  seemed  to  break  down  under  the 
strain,  and,  throwing  herself  on  her  knees  at  her 
mother's  side,  burst  into  a  passion  of  tears. 

"Mother!  Mother!"  she  cried;  "I  must  know 
what  it  means!  I  cannot  bear  such  mystery.  Who 
aided  him  to  escape?  AVho  released  him  from  his 
prison?  You  know,  and  you  are  hiding  it  from  me. 
I  must  know.  Is  Jack  alive?  Was  it  Jack?  Mother, 
mother,  in  mercy  tell  me,"  she  sobbed  aloud. 
"Where  is  he?    Why  do  I  never  hear  of  him  now?" 

And  drawing  the  weeping  girl  to  her  heart,  her 
own  eyes  welling  over,  her  pale  lips  quivering  with 
grief,  Mrs.  Heatherwood  could  only  answer,  "Belle, 
my  child,  I  wish  I  did  know,  I  wish  I  could  tell. 
Just  now,  even  more  than  news  of  Floyd,  whom  I 
l)elieve  to  be  safe,  I  would  welcome  news  from 
Jack." 


THE   GENERALS  DOUBLE.  405 

And  that  night  at  9.30  the  officer  of  the  guard 
sat  in  his  tent,  overhauled  the  few  jDasses,  and  in- 
spected the  few  men  who  had  been  permitted  to 
leave  the  enclosure  for  an  evening  stroll,  and  the 
sergeant  checked  off  the  names  on  the  list  and  sent 
the  returning  convalescents  to  their  tents.  The  half- 
hour  passed  and  the  gates  were  swinging  to  when  the 
lieutenant  lifted  up  his  head  and  voice.  "Hold  on  a 
moment  there!"  he  said;  "there's  a  man  short.  Oh! 
Bell's  the  name.  He  was  due  here  at  9.30.  Five 
days'  furlough.     Hasn't  he  come  in?" 

"j^o  sign  of  him  vet,  sir,"  was  the  prompt  reply. 

"Very  well,  close  the  gates.  He  may  turn  up 
within  the  hour.  I'll  give  him  a  little  leeway,  any- 
how,— trains  may  be  late." 

But  the  night  wore  on  without  him.  Another 
morning  flamed  on  the  eastward  sky.  Again  the  dis- 
tant boom  from  Federal  Hill  saluted  the  rising  sun, 
and  far  and  near  the  first  notes  of  the  reveille  called 
the  soldiers  to  the  duties  of  another  day.  Forty- 
eight  hours,  lacking  but  a  few  minutes,  had  passed 
since  the  discovery  that  Colonel  Fairfax  had  been 
stolen  from  his  guard,  and  now  opposite  the  name 
of  Trooper  Bell  on  the  report  submitted  for  the  sig- 
nature of  the  surgeon  in  charge  was  the  single  word, 
"Deserted." 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 


A    TROOPER  S    LETTER. 


"Philadelphia,  July  27,  1863. 
"Mr.  George  Lowndes, 

"Willard's  Hotel,  Washington,  D.  C: 

"Dear  Sir  and  Sire, — This  letter  will  not  startle 
jou  as  it  might  have  done  two  years  ago,  because  at 
that  time  you  believed  my  troubles — and  yours  on 
my  account — safely  ended.  Since  then,  however, 
thanks  to  Colonel  Clark,  you  have  felt  constrained 
to  renew  your  search  for  the  missing  papers,  if  not 
for  the  missing  son,  whom,  but  for  the  doubt  as  to 
those  documents,  you  would  have  been  well  content 
to  know  was  buried. 

"So  far  as  you  were  concerned,  it  was  my  intention 
that  that  son  should  be,  for  all  time,  dead.  His 
name,  his  rank,  and  something,  at  least,  of  his  past 
were  buried  at  Bull  Run,  and  you  would  never  again 
have  been  troubled  by  his  ghost  (and  the  words  with 
which  you  drove  him  from  your  roof  were  full  war- 
rant for  his  determination)  had  not  fate  reserved 
him,  and  you,  for  unforeseen  complications.  The 
life,  the  honor,  the  happiness  of  men  and  women 
whom  I  hold  dear  are  now  at  stake,  and  you  are  the 
only  person  I  know  who  can  promptly  set  things 
406 


THE  GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  407 

right.  You,  as  a  man  of  wealth  and  social  position 
and  a  power  in  local  political  matters,  are  now  in 
touch  with  the  Secretary  of  War.  You  can  establish 
justice  and  promote  tranquillity.  To  assure  the 
Honorable  Secretary  of  the  truth  of  all  that  follows 
in  this  letter  you  have  only  to  cause  the  following- 
named  officers  to  appear  in  person  at  Washington, 
to  wit: 

"Brigadier-General  Grosvenor  Belden,  United 
States  Volunteers,  in  unmerited  arrest,  Baltimore, 
Maryland. 

"Brigadier-General  Joshua  Clark^  United  States 
Volunteers,  commanding  brigade,  — th  Division, 
Second  Army  Corps. 

"Major  Foulweather,  — th  United  States  Cavalry, 
and  be  damned  to  him,  in  hospital  somewhere  with 
a  broken  leg  when  it  should  have  been  his  neck. 

"First  Lieutenant  Robert  F.  Hamlin,  commanding 
squadron,  — th  United  States  Cavalry. 

"Major  W.  H.  Morrow,  Surgeon  United  States 
Volunteers,  under  the  shadows  of  Baltimore  detec- 
tives and  Barnum's  Hotel. 

"Then  there  are  ladies,  including  my  sister,  whose 
names  need  not  be  dragged  into  the  matter  at  all. 

"A  s  you  did  me  the  honor  to  say  that  only  business 
propositions  would  ever  be  entertained  by  you  in  the 
future,  I  tender  you,  for  your  good  offices  in  this 
matter,  first,  the  restoration  of  letters  you  have 
vainly  sought  for, — those  in  which  my  mother 
pleaded  with  you  for  justice  to  me,  and  promised 


408  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

and  vowed  certain  tilings  in  my  name  which  jou  re-' 
fused  to  entertain,  and  thereby  transformed  into 
dead  letters.  Second,  the  unexpended  portion  of 
the  little  sum  my  mother  placed  in  the  Park  Bank 
for  my  use,  all  of  which  I  drew  out  in  April,  '61,  and 
intrusted  to  other  hands.  So  long  as  I  pursued  a 
course  that  would  bring  credit  to  her  son  and  honor 
to  the  name  I  saw  fit  to  assume,  I  cherished  the  first 
named  and  drew  upon  the  second.  Having  now 
taken  upon  myself,  an  enlisted  soldier  of  the  United 
States,  the  functions  of  a  general  court-martial,  of 
the  reviewing  authority,  and  of  the  Secretary  of 
War  all  in  one,  and  having  tried,  acquitted,  released, 
and  thereby  done  my  best  to  restore  to  the  cause 
of  the  Confederacy,  as  it  happens,  a  gentleman  held 
as  a  spy,  I  am  no  longer  worthy  to  hold  such  posi- 
tion of  trust  and  emolument  under  the  general  gov- 
ernment. I  therefore  voluntarily  withdraw  from 
it,  and  am  no  more  worthy  to  be  called  her  son, 
though  quite  good  enough  in  my  own  opinion  to  be 
yours.  In  plain  words,  sir,  I,  Jack  Lowndes,  alias 
Lawrence  Bell,  a  private  trooper  of  the  — th  United 
States  Cavalry,  have  given  aid  and  comfort  to  the 
enemy  by  compassing  the  escape  of  Colonel  Floyd 
Fairfax,  — th  Virginia  Infantry,  and  then  and  there- 
after deliberately  deserting  the  service  of  the  LTnited 
States. 

"How  did  I  do  it?  In  this  wise:  Ever  since  the 
week  of  my  most  untimely  taking  on  with  the 
regular  army  old  hands  have  spoken  to  me  of  my 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  409 

strong  resemblance  to  tlieir  former  first  lieutenant, 
Grosvenor  Belden,  tlien  a  captain  on  General 
Hooker's  stafF,  later  a  colonel  of  Pennsylvania 
cavalry,  and  now  a  brigadier-general  of  United 
States  Volunteers,  always  a  gallant  and  distinguished 
officer  and  gentleman.  The  fancied  resemblance 
pleased  me,  though  it  didn't  Hatter.  I  saw  the  gen- 
tleman in  AVashington  and  had  the  remarkable  oj>- 
portunity  of  releasing  from  pawn  certain  articles  of 
his  apparel  placed  there,  candor  compels  the  admis- 
sion, not  by  himself,  but  by  an  employe  of  the  hotel, 
who  found  them  too  big  for  his  individual  use.  It 
pleased  me  to  attire  myself  as  Captain  Belden,  sim- 
ply to  see  if  people  would  recognize  in  the  resur- 
rected militiaman  and  volunteer,  left  for  dead  at 
Bull  E.un,  and  the  disinherited  knight  of  your  house- 
hold the  resemblance  to  an  officer  and  a  gentleman. 
In  Virginia  I  had  fallen,  first,  into  the  hands  of  the 
enemy,  who,  believing  me  dead,  would  have  buried 
me  alive,  thereby  reversing  the  decree  of  my  friends, 
who,  believing  me  alive,  would  have  buried  me  dead. 
Then  fate — was  it  my  mother  who  pointed  the  way? 
— led  to  the  scene  two  of  her  old  and  devoted 
friends,  Hester,  Lady  Heatherwood,  and  Florence, 
Lady  Fairfax.  It  was  the  former  who  nursed  me  day 
and  night  until  she  was  able  to  have  me  transferred 
from  the  battle-field  to  the  home  of  her  friend  and 
kinswoman  at  Leesburg.  You  will  not  be  grateful 
to  them  for  their  ministrations,  but  the  world  will 
say  I  should  be,  and  I  am.    Also  am  I  grateful  for 


410         THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

their  solemn  promise  that  Jack  Lowndes  should  re- 
main numbered  with  the  dead,  and  for  my  own  that 
Lawrence  Bell  would  live  to  serve  them  loyally. 
They,  under  sore  stress,  have  kept  their  promise  to 
reveal  to  none  but  one  woman  the  story  of  my  resur- 
rection. I  to  the  bitter  end  have  kept  my  self- 
recorded  pledge  to  lose  no  opportunity  to  befriend 
those  they  love,  even  as  my  mother  loved  me. 

"In  the  dress  and  authority  of  Belden  I  bore  an 
urgent  message  from  Heatherwood  to  the  Hunt 
house  in  the  Catoctin  Valley.  In  the  guise  of  Bel- 
den I  ordered  our  gunners  to  withhold  their  fire  on 
Stuart's  battery  the  day  they  rode  by  Heatherwood, 
and,  finally,  in  the  uniform,  the  equipments,  the  car- 
riage of  Belden,  accompanied  by  Belden's  orderly, 
whom  I  had  first  befuddled  with  liquor  and  then 
ordered  to  call  Belden's  own  driver,  I  assumed  Bel- 
den's sole  prerogative  and  set  free  a  gallant  soldier, 
the  son  of  one  benefactress,  the  kinsman  of  another. 
If  this  were  not  reason  enough,  there  is  still  one 
more,  to  me  the  most  potent  of  all,  but  it  would 
probably  have  no  weight  with  you. 

"And  now,  the  Llonorable  Secretary  will  not  wil- 
lingly or  readily  release  General  Belden,  restore  him 
to  command,  and  publicly  wipe  out  the  stain.  Dis- 
aster in  his  eyes,  as  we  know,  has  ever  demanded  a 
victim,  i^or  will  the  newspapers  now  maligning  that 
gallant  and  brilliant  officer  tender  the  faintest 
amende  when  the  truth  is  known.  These  wrongs  arc 
hard  for  a  soldier  to  bear,  and  for  mv  share  in  their 


THE  GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  411 

infliction  I  tender  General  Belden  the  expression  of 
my  deej)  sorrow  that  things  had  to  be  so.  But,  under 
similar  circumstances  I  would  do  the  same  again, 
and  down  in  the  bottom  of  his  heart  General  Belden 
will  thank  me  for  having  saved  his  old  friend  and 
cherished  comrade  from  the  felon's  death  that  would 
have  been  his  lot. 

"Xo  lighter  sentence  would  have  suited  our  Iron 
Secretary.  The  circumstances  of  his  disguise,  the 
place  of  his  capture,  the  character  of  tlie  papers 
found  in  the  pockets  of  the  farmer  garb  I  strove  to 
drown  in  the  Monocacy,  but  that  Foulweather's  fel- 
lows fished  out  before  they  were  fairly  soaked,  all 
rendered  imperative  a  finding  of  guilty  of  being  a 
spy  within  the  Union  lines,  yet  General  Belden 
knows,  and  I  know,  spying  was  the  last  thing  Floyd 
Fairfax  had  in  view.  Belden,  being  an  officer  and  a 
gentleman,  could  not,  without  dishonor,  act  on  his 
convictions.  Trooper  Bell,  being  only  a  despised 
enlisted  man,  without  name,  home,  or  fortune,  could 
and  did  do  what  his  superiors  dare  not.  The  Secre- 
tary will  say  it  was  a  crime  in  me  to  release  him.  I 
say  it  would  have  been  a  crime  to  hang  him,  and 
that  his  crime  would  have  been  far  greater  than  mine 
I  will  submit  to  the  decision  of  that  Immortal  Judge 
in  whose  sight  Edwin  M.  Stanton  and  Jack  Lowndes, 
alias  Bell, — head  and  foot,  respectively,  of  the  army 
of  the  United  States, — stand  on  the  equal  plane  of 
miserable  sinners. 

"The  Secretary  and  you  will  say  that  if  I  thought 


412  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

I  was  right  I  should  have  stood  my  ground  and  faced 
my  accusers,  taken  my  punishment,  and  not  added 
the  crime  of  desertion  to  my  already  clouded  name. 
In  the  first  place,  I  have  no  name.  In  the  second,  I 
have  no  confidence  in  military  justice  as  practised 
under  cival  supervision  such  as  Stanton's;  and  in  the 
third  place,  I  do  not  propose  to  spend  ten  years  at  Diy 
Tortugas  or  some  other  prison  because  I  did  what  I 
knew  to  be  right.  As  to  the  stigma  of  desertion  that 
must  attach  to  me,  I  shall  look  at  it  from  the  point  of 
view  of  the  philosopher  in  the  ranks.  The  men  who 
knew  and  served  with  Jack  Lowndes  at  Bull  Run, 
who  charged  with  Lawrence  Bell  at  Gaines's  Mill  and 
Hanover  Court-House,  who  fought  by  his  side  the 
day  we  saved  the  gun  at  Ileatherwood,  and  who  were 
with  him  in  the  dash  on  Hood's  right  flank  at  Gettys- 
burg, will  say  that,  even  though  he  has  seen  fit  to 
wind  up  his  record  with  the  Army  of  the  Potomac 
by  tricking  the  guards  at  Federal  Hill  and  retiring 
from  the  service  of  which  he  was  so  bright  and  not 
over-particular  a  star,  the  credit  side  of  his  account 
outweighs  the  debit.  This  sounds  immensely  egotis- 
tical, but  I  mean  every  word  of  it. 

"In  fine,  sir,  I  feel  that,  so  far  from  bringing  dis- 
credit on  either  of  my  names,  I  have  done  honor  to 
both,  and  as  I  am  now  about  to  assume  still  another, 
I  hope  to  cover  that,  too,  with  distinction.  In  another 
army  and  another  field  and  with  another  name,  I 
mean  to  do  battle  for  our  flag  'till  the  last  armed  foe 
expires,'  or  words  to  that  effect,  and  should  the  third 


THE  GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  413 

name  under  which  I  have  served  my  countrv  become 
eventually  known  to  yon  as  that  of  a  fellow  who 
fought  hard  and  well  for  the  Union's,  if  not  for  his 
name's,  sake,  I  picture  the  self-complacency  with 
which  you  will  congratulate  yourself  on  having  fur- 
nished no  less  than  three  able-bodied  soldiers  for  the 
common  cause, — all  from  the  one  son  you  kicked  out 
of  your  house. 

"And  now,  sir,  to  conclude.  I  had  hoped  that  my 
beloved  sister  would  never  have  to  know  of  my  re- 
appearance on  this  earth  unless  I  could  come  to  her 
with  a  record  so  proud  that  eA^en  you  would  have 
been  silenced,  but  I  have  seen  fit  to  surrender  my 
prospects,  the  main  hope  and  inspiration  thereof 
being  deader  than  I  was  at  Bull  Kun.  By  this  time 
her  grief  would  have  been  assuaged,  and  she  might 
have  ceased  to  mourn.  To  her  I  shall  vTite  by 
another  hand,  as  I  do  to  the  loved  household  among 
whom,  when  banished  from  your  doors,  I  found 
shelter,  welcome,  and  infinite  patience  and  mercy. 
This  done,  I  have  but  one  other  obligation  to  dis- 
charge. So  soon  as  General  Belden  is  exonerated 
you  will  receive  the  order  for  the  items  of  which  I 
spoke. 

"This  letter  you  will  doubtless  consider  bitter,  in- 
solent, most  undutiful,  and,  as  of  old,  will  attribute 
its  tone  to  over-indulgence  in  liquor.  In  this  you 
will  eiT,  as  you  often  did  before.  AVine  mellowed 
what  you  termed  my  intractable  spirit,  filled  me  with 
faith,  hope,  charity, — ^made  all  men,  even  you,  my 


414  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

friends.  These  lines  are  penned  under  the  austere 
influences  of  an  abstinence  that  has  been  total  ever 
since  I  got  drunk  ten  months  ago,  as  a  man  does  to 
neutralize  snake-bite,  in  order  to  delay  mj  having 
to  testify  against  Fairfax,  at  Point  of  Rocks,  until 
his  friends  at  Frederick  could  buy  off  one  or  more 
of  his  jailei's. 

"Posting  this  and  other  letters  at  midnight,  I  shall 
leave  Philadelphia  at  once,  and  become,  as  you  used 
to  suggest,  'another  man.'  Your  friend,  the  Secre- 
tary, and  his  friends,  the  secret  service  fellows,  will 
lose  time  in  looking  for  me.  With  due  respect, 
"Your  son, 

"John  Lowndes." 

This  was  the  letter  placed  in  the  hands  of  the 
Secretary  of  War  at  noon  on  the  28th  of  July. 
Pallid,  trembling  with  emotion,  his  eyes  full  of  trou- 
ble and  dismay,  the  N^ew  Yorker  seated  himself 
while  the  Secretary  read.  What  passed  between 
them  later  was  not  told.  At  one  o'clock  a  despatch 
was  received  by  an  astonished  major-general  in  Balti- 
more, directing  that  Brigadier-General  Belden  be 
released  from  arrest  and  ordered  to  report  in  person, 
accompanied  by  Surgeon  Morrow,  to  the  Secretary 
of  War  the  following  day.  So  suspicious  of  trickery 
was  the  department  conmiander  that  he  demurred. 
IS^ot  until  four  p.m.  was  the  order  communicated  to 
General  Belden,  on  the  arrival  of  certain  officers 
from    Washington.      With    them    came    a    portly 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  415 

civilian,  prominent  as  a  member  of  the  Union 
League,  and  lield  in  high  consideration  by  the  gov- 
ernment. Mr.  George  Lowndes  sent  his  card  to  the 
young  brigadier,  begged  the  favor  of  an  inter\'iew, 
was  closeted  with  him  and  Dr.  Morrow  half  an  hour, 
and  then  the  trio  drove  to  Barnum's,  Belden  de- 
clining to  stop  and  accept  the  congratulations  of  the 
commanding  general.  Later,  an  orderly  was  de- 
spatched %vith  a  letter  to  Eutaw  Street,  where  it  was 
received  by  a  young  damsel  with  black  eyes  and 
rosy  cheeks,  who  seemed  mad  with  delight  and  mis- 
chief, and  who  perj^lexed  the  shy  volunteer  by  de- 
manding, "You  Yankees  goin'  to  hang  Floyd  Fair- 
fax now,  or  wait  till  you  get  him?"  for  the  shade  to 
the  opposite  dormer-window  was  raised,  and  people 
with  beaming  faces  had  been  throwing  surreptitious 
kisses  and  joyous  glances  at  Madam  Heatherwood's 
window  for  over  an  hour.  And  later  still,  while  the 
two  fair  girls  were  clasped,  sobbing,  in  each  other's 
arms,  and  Belle  and  Florence  poured  out  their  heart- 
load  of  sorrowing  confidences,  their  hopes,  their 
fears,  their  almost  idolatrous  praises  of  Jack's  hero- 
ism, Jack's  self-abnegation.  Jack's  marvellous  ex- 
ploit as  described  by  Florence, — never  realizing, 
woman-like,  the  gravity  of  his  offences  from  the  legal 
and  military  jDoint  of  view,  never  dreaming  of  the 
peril  in  which  he  had  placed  himself, — a  sorrow- 
stricken  father  held  long  conference  with  Mrs. 
Heatherwood  in  the  parlor  below.  To  him  at  last 
she  recounted  the  strange  events  of  the  two  years 


416         THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

past,  of  her  discovery  of  Jack  among  the  desperately 
wounded,  of  the  promise  extorted  from  her  as  soon 
as  lie  could  make  himself  understood, — that  she 
would  keep  his  recovery  a  secret  from  all  but  Mrs. 
Fairfax  and  Belle,  until  later  on  he  could  absolve 
her;  of  the  desperate  nature  of  his  c^se  at  first, — 
shot,  as  he  was,  straight  through  the  right  lung;  of 
how  reckless  he  had  later  been  in  her  service,  even 
to  the  extent,  all  unknown  to  her,  of  having  the  offi- 
cer's uniform  and  equipments  kept  there  at  Heather- 
wood;  of  his  donning  it  for  Belle's  sake  in  order  that 
lie  might  ride  to  the  Catoctin  Valley,  where  his  pass 
as  orderly  would  not  carry  him,  and  so  warn  the 
Hunts  to  tell  Fairfax  of  how  Heatherwood  was  sur- 
rounded and  to  forbid  his  coming;  of  how  Jack 
later  managed  to  destroy  Belle's  missive  to  her  Vir- 
ginia kinsman  when  Foulweather  found  the  trooper 
at  the  mansion;  of  how  he  saved  them  from  a  can- 
nonade and  had  striven  to  destroy  the  evidence 
against  Fairfax.  Her  tears  welled  up  as  she  spoke 
of  that  night,  and  of  his  later  conduct,  or  misconduct, 
while  in  the  hospital.  From  the  night  of  Fairfax's 
first  arrest  Jack  had  never  seen  Belle,  nor  had  he 
written  to  her,  and  when  he  came  as  one  of  the  escort 
with  the  fever-smitten  major,  it  was  only  herself, 
Madam  Heatlierwood,  that  he  had  sent  to  ask  to  meet 
him  at  the  old  arbor  on  the  hill-side.  It  was  only 
herself  to  whom,  later,  he  unfolded  his  plans  for  the 
release  of  Fairfax  from  prison  at  Federal  Hill.  She 
had  instantly  conferred  with  the  colonel's  friends 


THE  GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  417 

in  Baltimore,  and,  once  the  prisoner  was  safely  away 
to  Carrick's,  the  rest  was  easy.  A  thousand  times 
over  the  devoted  fellow  rewarded  her  for  the  little 
she  had  done  for  him,  said  Mrs.  Heatherwood.  Yet, 
as  was  the  case  with  her  daughter,  woman-like,  she 
could  not  see  that  he  had  utterly  sacrificed  himself. 
Surely  the  nation,  the  people,  even  the  government 
at  Washington,  would  forgive  him  when  they  knew 
all.    But  how  were  they  ever  to  know — all? 

And  in  the  midst  of  their  conference  a  card  was 
handed  in.  General  Belden  begged  to  be  allowed  to 
j^ay  his  respects  to  Mrs.  Heatherwood  on  the  eve  of 
his  departure  for  "Washington,  and  even  as  the  gen- 
tle woman  turned  to  greet  and  welcome  him,  Aunt 
Ohloe  went  wheezing  up-stairs  with  a  note  for  Miss 
Belle. 

ISTot  five  minutes  later,  before  the  first  gTeetings 
were  fairly  over,  before  Mrs.  Heatherwood  had 
ceased  again  to  marvel  at  the  resemblance  which  the 
silent  father  sat  so  mournfully  studying,  there  came 
the  sound  of  a  sudden  and  heavy  fall  in  the  room 
above.  Mrs.  Heatherwood  looked  up  in  alarm,  and 
then  hastened  to  the  hall,  for  the  voice  of  Florence 
was  heard  calling  for  help.  Xot  knowing  what 
might  have  happened,  Belden  himself  led  the  rush 
up-stairs,  but  turned  back  at  the  door, — it  was  only  a 
fainting  girl  who  lay  there  prostrate,  and  the  letter 
later  explained  it  all,  even  to  that  which  the  loving 
mother  half  suspected,  yet  so  long  could  not  under- 
stand. 

27 


418  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

That  night,  as  Mr.  Lowndes  and  the  young  gen- 
eral paced  slowly  back  to  the  hotel,  the  latter  heard 
the  full  particulars,  as  related,  by  Mrs.  Ileatherwood, 
of  the  story  of  the  "double"  whose  existence  he  had 
suspected  for  many  a  long  month.  He  took  the  sad 
old  gentleman  by  the  hand,  "So  far  as  I  am  con- 
cerned, sir,"  said  he,  "your  brave  son  has  full  forgive- 
ness. I  wish  I  could  say  it  for  the  authorities.  But 
if  ever  he  need  a  friend,  he  can  count  on  me.  I  shall 
do  my  best  to  find  him  just  so  soon  as  the  hue  and  cry 
are  over." 

But  neither  Belden  nor  the  father  had  seen  the 
letter  over  which,  late  into  the  night,  a  loving,  sor- 
rowing woman,  kneeling  by  a  beloved  daughter's 
side,  wept  and  prayed  for  hours. 

"  Philadelphia,  July  27. 

"There  was  a  time  in  your  past  when  you  told  me 
that  a  great  renunciation  was  needed  before  I  could 
hope  to  win  the  love  of  any  woman  worth  the  having. 

"The  day  I  rode  for  you  to  the  Catoctins  I  read 
such  new,  sweet  promise  in  your  eyes  and  words  that 
my  heart  bounded  with  a  hope  I  never  knew  before. 
That  day  I  dared  to  take  your  hands  in  mine  and 
dared  to  press  one  kiss  upon  your  forehead, — the 
first,  the  last,  all  in  one.  The  message  I  bore  forbade 
his  coming;  your  eyes  and  lips  invited  me,  even 
though  I  wore  the  humblest  dress  in  the  hostile  blue. 
That  was  one  day. 

"Then   came   another   when,    unseen   by  you,   I 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  419 

watched  your  agony  at  your  lover's  capture,  and 
what  I  saw  and  what  I  heard  were  more  than  enough. 
You  and  your  ever  blessed  mother  had  kept  my 
secret,  and  I  had  vowed  that,  come  what  might,  if 
fate  should  throw  in  my  way  the  chance  of  saving 
those  you  loved,  I  would  stop  at  nothing  to  keep  the 
faith.  I  saw  again  the  proofs  that  your  heart  was 
bound  up  in  Floyd  Fairfax  the  day  when  stern  orders 
compelled  me  to  stand  by  that  open  tent  and  listen  to 
your  sobbing,  and  to  hear  later — thank  God  I  could 
not  see  it! — how  his  arms  enfolded  you,  how  his 
kisses  swept  away  your  tears. 

"It  was  possible  for  just  one  man  to  save  him  to 
you,  and — it  is  done.  My  promise  is  kept,  and 
though  the  love  I  craved  is  given  to  a  happier  man, 
I  have  made  my  great  renunciation.  It  is  now, 
farewell. 

"John  Lowndes." 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

A  GENEEAL  court-martial  assembled  at  Fort  Mc- 
Henry,  Baltimore,  late  in  August,  for  the  trial  of 
Trooper  Luke  Morrissey,  — tli  United  States  Cav- 
alry, "and  such  other  prisoners  as  may  properly  be 
brought  before  it,"  and  the  odd  part  of  the  affair 
was  that  there  were  officers  who  sought  the  distinc- 
tion of  being  brought  before  it,  and  who  were  denied 
the  luxury.  An  officer  might  demand  a  court  of  in- 
quiry, said  the  sages  of  the  AVar  Department,  and  the 
President  might  or  might  not  accord  it  as  he  felt  dis- 
posed, but  no  officer  could  demand  a  court-martial. 
Consequently,  released  from  arrest  and  restored  to 
duty,  the  Connecticut  officers  were  denied  the  privi- 
lege of  being  vindicated  by  a  jury  of  their  peers, — no 
one  of  whom,  it  was  asserted,  could  possibly  have 
distinguished  between  Lowndes  and  Belden  were 
these  two  now  famous  personages  attired  exactly 
alike.  High  and  low  and  unavailing  was  the  search 
for  the  deserter,  who  had  vanished,  leaving  not  a 
trace  behind.  True  to  his  word,  an  order  for  "the 
items  above  referred  to"  came  with  a  sad,  fond  letter 
to  his  sister  Florence,  who  wept  over  it  for  days,  but 
dutifully  obtained  and  restored  to  her  father  the 
stout,  leather-encased  packet,  so  long  reverently 
guarded  by  Miss  Heatherwood.  Xo  word  of  reproach 

42U 


THE   GEXERALS  DOUBLE.  421 

did  the  daughter  utter  as  she  handed  to  the  broken- 
spirited  old  man  the  precious  case,  and  with  it  the 
check  for  the  balance  remaining  in  a  Philadelphia 
bank  to  the  credit  of  "Lawrence  Bell."  The  father's 
hands  trembled  as  they  opened  the  former,  and  great 
tears  trickled  down  his  furrowed  cheeks  as  he  reread 
one  of  the  fond,  pleading  pages,  and  then  bowed  his 
head  on  his  arms  and  brooded  in  silence.  By  his  side 
knelt  Florence,  striving  to  soothe  and  comfort,  but 
he  would  none  of  it.  "Her  last  plea,"  he  moaned, 
"was  for  Jack,  and  yet  I  steeled  my  heart.  I  thought 
I  knew  him  best.  I  thought  his  will  should  yield  to 
mine.    I  never  thought  to  reason  with  him." 

In  the  personal  columns  of  leading  journals,  east 
and  west,  were  inserted  for  weeks  appeals  to  Law- 
rence Bell  to  communicate  with  his  friends  and  that 
all  should  be  made  right  ;  but  if  the  appeal  met  the 
ex-trooper's  eye  he  probably  had  his  doubts  as  to  the 
ability  of  even  so  prominent  a  member  of  the  Union 
League  to  make  right  a  clear  case  of  desertion,  or 
possibly  he  scented  a  trap  on  part  of  the  detectives. 
Not  one  clue  would  he  give  as  to  his  whereabouts, 
yet  there  speedily  came  proof  that  he  was  keenly 
watching  the  course  of  events,  and  that  was  during 
old  Morrissey's  trial. 

Here,  indeed,  was  a  problem.  Twenty  years  had 
that  veteran  followed  the  flag  without  other  reproach 
to  name  or  fame  than  the  semi-occasional  spree  so 
characteristic  of  the  Hibernian  trooper  of  the  old 
army.     Wounded  in  the  war  with  Mexico  when  he 


422  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

rode  with  the  dragoons;  extolled  in  general  orders 
for  heroism  in  Texas  when,  at  the  risk  of  his  own 
gallant  life,  he  stood  by  a  wounded  sergeant  and 
fought  a  swarm  of  yelling  Comanches,  being  himself 
twice  wounded  in  the  successful  attempt  to  save  his 
comrade ;  lionized  in  the  new  regiment  as  the  nattiest 
orderly  ever  chosen  by  cavalry  adjutant  for  detail 
with  such  honored  officers  as  Sidney  Johnston, 
Robert  E.  Lee,  or  dear  old  Major  Slowtrot  Thomas; 
distinguished,  as  were  hundreds  of  our  rank  and  file 
for  refusing  commissions  in  the  army  of  the  Con- 
federate States,  even  when  importuned  by  offi- 
cers they  loved  as  Morrissey  loved  Fairfax;  and, 
finally,  renowned  in  the  regular  brigade  for  his 
daring  and  devotion  in  many  a  charge  or  scrimmage 
in  the  bitter  war  then  waging,  Morrissey's  record  of 
twenty  years  of  heroism  was  now  being  weighed  in 
the  balance  against  one  tremendous  accusation, — 
that  of  having  compassed  the  release  of  a  rebel  officer 
who  stood  accused  of  being  a  spy  within  the  Union 
lines.  Without  his  co-operation,  drunk  or  sober,  it 
would  have  been  next  to  impossible  for  Bell  to  play 
the  part  of  Belden.  Evidence  was  adduced  showing 
that  Bell  and  the  accused  had  had  two  or  three  long- 
conferences  the  evenings  preceding  the  25th  of  July; 
that  when  Carrick  would  have  declined  his  job  as 
driver  of  the  general's  carriage,  Morrissey  offered 
to  "go  bail"  he'd  make  it  worth  Carrick's  while  in 
more  ways  than  one.  Evidence  of  his  furious  de- 
nunciation of  a  man  who  spoke  of  Fairfax  as  a  spy 


THE  GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  423 

was  produced,  and  of  his  declaration  in  a  public  place 
(Moriartj's  Shades)  that  the  man  that  would  hang 
Floyd  Fairfax  as  a  spy  should  be  "put  in  diapers  for 
an  immachurist;"  which  when  related  by  the  wit- 
ness sunply  convulsed  the  court.  But  there  was  none 
but  himself  to  tell  how  Floyd  Fairfax  had  watched 
and  even  nursed  the  old  fellow  when  down  with 
fever  in  the  lied  River  bottom.  There  was  no  one  to 
step  forward  and  tell  that  court  under  oath  how  in- 
dignantly the  grizzled  soldier  had  refused  to  touch 
one  penny  of  the  money  the  friends  of  Fairfax  had 
raised. 

All  the  same,  there  came  a  letter  to  the  judge  ad- 
vocate from  the  missing  trooper  Bell,  and  a  swarm 
of  witnesses  to  testify  to  Morrissey's  past  record  and 
character.  Of  the  latter  were  both  Belden  and  Foul- 
weather.  The  letter  of  Trooper  Bell  could  not  be 
admitted  as  evidence,  but  was  read  with  absorbing 
interest  by  every  member  of  the  court.  All  the 
blame,  it  said,  should  be  charged  to  him.  Bell,  pre- 
cisely as,  in  the  case  of  other  deserters,  it  was  then 
the  custom  to  charge  every  missing  article  on  the 
ordnance  or  quartermaster's  returns,  from  a  howit- 
zer to  a  halter-strap.  Morrissey  was  sirdply  the  tool 
with  which  he  wrought.  It  is  easy  to  persuade  an 
Irishman  to  risk  his  own  life  for  the  sake  of  the  man 
or  the  cause  he  holds  dear,  and,  having  risked  his  life 
a  hundred  times  for  the  government,  he  was  induced 
to  risk  trial  and  punishment  to  save  the  neck  of  his 
old  commander,  for  no  amount  of  hard  swearing 


424        THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

could  ever  convince  liini,  Morrissey,  that  Fairfax 
deserved  tlie  fate  of  a  spy. 

Belden's  testimony  in  behalf  of  Morrissey  was 
eulogium,  so  was  that  of  Treacy  and  Bob  Hamlin, 
but  Foulweather,  as  might  have  been  expected,  gave 
but  reluctant  praise.  To  the  quick  wrath  of  the  ac- 
cused soldier,  the  good  words  of  the  swarthy  major 
could  only  be  dragged  from  him  by  dint  of  earnest 
effort  on  part  of  the  judge  advocate,  who  finally 
waxed  indignant  at  the  obstinacy  of  his  witness;  and 
then  followed  an  unlooked-for  and  startling  incident. 

Angered  at  the  attempts  of  the  judge  advocate  to 
extort  from  him  reluctant  admission  that  the  accused 
had  been  a  most  valuable  and  trusted  soldier  for 
twenty  years,  old  Foulweather  blurted  out;  "I  don't 
care  what  a  man's  past  services  may  have  been,  the 
moment  he  gives  aid  or  comfort  in  any  shape  to  any 
creature  connected  with  this  damnable  rebellion  I'd 
hang  him  high  as  Haman!  I'd  stamp  out  his  name 
as  I  would  a  snake!    I'd " 

"Silence,  sir!"  thundered  the  president  of  the 
court,  with  a  whack  of  his  sword  on  the  table.  "Con- 
fine your  remarks  to  answers  to  the  questions  put  by 
the  judge  advocate.  We  need  no  firing  the  heart  of 
the  Xorth  in  this  jDresence." 

"Bedad!"  was  the  astonished  interjection  of  old 
Morrissey,  as  he  rose  from  his  chair,  quivering  with 
mingled  wrath  and  emotion.  "There  was  no  need  in 
firing  Heatherwood,  but  ask  liim  who  done  it!"  And 
in  the  midst  of  an  awkward  and  solemn  silence  the 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  425 

prisoner  pointed  square  at  bis  erstwhile  commander, 
who  turned,  scowling  and  furious,  on  the  excited 
Irishman. 

"Sit  down,  Morrissey!"  ordered  the  judge  advo- 
cate, almost  springing  at  him.  "Xot  another  word, 
sir! — Sit  down,  major!"  he  continued,  as  old  Foul- 
weather  arose  as  though  determined  to  address  the 
court.     "This  is  no  j)lace " 

"Place  or  no  place,"  shouted  Foulweather,  "I  am 
challenged  and  I  shall  answer  here!"  Over  the  in- 
stant hubbub  in  the  court,  over  the  stern  orders  of 
the  president  for  silence,  his  harsh,  sonorous  voice 
rang  out  invincibly.  "That  place  was  the  hot-bed 
of  treason, — the  home  of  spies  and  traitors.  They 
conspired  with  their  kincl  in  our  army  to  deprive  me 
of  command.  They  put  me  in  charge  of  a  surgeon, 
but  couldn't  blind  me  or  stop  my  ears.  They  were 
ordered  arrested  by  the  AVar  Department.  Traitors 
in  our  uniform  set  them  free, — helped  them  away, 
by  God!  in  the  very  ambulance  that  brought  me 
there!  D'ye  s'pose  I'd  lie  bedridden  when  I  heard 
that !  I  was  out  of  it  and  up  that  hill,  and  those  Xew 
England  soldiers  knew^  a  loyal  officer  when  they  saw 
one,  and  they  did  my  bidding.  War  is  war,  and  if 
I'd  had  my  way  that  rebel  hole  would  have  gone  up 
in  smoke  a  long  year  before." 

That  night,  hours  after  the  temporary  adjourn- 
ment of  the  court,  in  the  corridors  of  the  hotels,  in 
the  crowded  streets  of  camp,  men  stood  and  talked 
of  Foulweather's  boast,  and  of  Foulweather's  fever- 


426         THE   GENERALS  DOUBLE. 

crazed  deed.  Fever  might  have  accounted  for  his 
possible  craze  that  night  in  June,  but  not  now.  Long 
weeks  had  elapsed  since  his  hammering  at  Gettys- 
burg. He  had  so  far  recovered  as  to  be  allowed  to 
visit  Washington  and  invade  the  War  Department 
and  inveigh  against  the  miscreants  promoted  over 
him,  and  to  vaunt  his  own  deeds  until  ordered  as  a 
witness  to  Baltimore.  This  night,  piling  Pelion 
upon  Ossa,  he  was  found  to  be  drinking  heavily,  and 
this  complicated  matters  still  further.  Ordered  to 
report  at  McHenry  for  further  examination  on  the 
morrow,  the  major  at  three  o'clock  in  the  morning 
was  forcibly  borne  to  a  room  and  put  to  bed,  Treacy 
and  Hamlin  mounting  guard  with  solemn  faces. 
Was  this  to  be  the  realization  of  a  fear  each,  un- 
known to  the  other,  had  felt  for  months  past, — that 
the  stanch  old  fighter  had  fairly  worn  hmiself  out, 
and  that  envy  and  jealousy,  blasted  hope  and 
blighted  ambition,  all  had  conspired  with  over-much 
whiskey  and  more  than  enough  of  hard  knocks  to 
unbalance  the  veteran's  reason.  Certain  it  was  that 
when  the  doctor  came  with  the  moi'uing  he  found 
his  patient  unconscious,  breathing  stertorously,  his 
veins  black  and  swollen,  his  face  suffused.  There 
was  no  Foulweather  to  answer  the  call  for  the  wit- 
ness when  court  convened  that  morning.  There  was 
no  recognition  in  his  blood-shot  eyes  when  Treacy 
and  Hamlin,  ordered  to  rejoin  their  squadrons  at  the 
front,  called  to  see  how  their  old  major  was  and  to 
say  good-by.    Whatever  might  have  been  the  extent 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  427 

of  his  malady  when  sent  to  hospital  at  Ileatherwood, 
there  was  left  no  room  for  doubt  of  its  severity  now. 
Foul  weather  was  too  ill  to  rejoice  even  when  poor  old 
Morrissey's  sentence  was  later  read.  The  court  had 
no  volition  at  all.  Compelled  by  law  to  sentence 
in  accordance  with  the  degree  of  the  offence,  it  had 
accorded  him  a  long  term  of  imprisonment,  with 
ball  and  chain,  in  the  dismal  casemates  of  Fort 
Lafayette,  but  coupled  with  this  award  an  earnest 
plea  for  mercy. 

And  even  then  the  veteran  seemed  little  discom- 
posed. "AVhist!"  said  he.  "There  is  wan  to  spake 
yet  that  niver  turned  his  back  on  a  poor  privut. 
Wait  till  the  Prisident  hears  what  they've  given  old 
Morrissey."  And  hear  it  he  did  before  the  setting 
of  another  sun.  Poor  old  Foul  weather!  The  news 
that  came  a  few  days  later  that  the  veteran  trooper 
had  actually  been  pardoned  and  restored  to  duty 
would  have  crazed  him  had  he  not  gone  daft  already. 
That  winter  saw  the  old  regiment  in  new  hands,  for 
the  raging  major  never  joined  again. 

Meanwhile,  the  summer's  sun  had  driven  many 
Baltimoreans  out  of  town,  and,  as  might  have  been 
expected,  both  Mrs.  and  Miss  Heatherwood  were  suf- 
ferers. Sorrow  and  anxiety  are  poor  companions 
with  which  to  encounter  the  humid  heat  of  the  Pa- 
tapsco  shores,  yet  day  after  day,  as  soon  as  relieved 
from  the  restrictions  that  confined  her  within  doors, 
Mrs.  Heatherwood  was  again  making  her  tireless 
round  among  the  sick  and  wounded.     It  could  not 


428         THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

last  long,  and  Mr.  George  Lowndes,  absent  on  a  sad 
quest  in  Cincinnati,  received  a  telegram  from  lier 
physician  recalling  him  at  once.  Since  the  hour 
Jack's  farewell  letter  came,  Belle  had  left  the  house 
only  when  taken  out  for  an  occasional  drive  in  the 
early  evening.  Florence,  despite  the  heat,  refused 
to  leave  her  friend,  and  by  mid-August  the  three 
women  looked,  as  sympathizing  neighbors  expressed 
it  to  one  another,  ''like  perfect  frights."  This  time 
Lowndes  would  not  take  no  for  answer.  He  bundled 
the  three  into  an  evening  train  and  settled  them  at 
Cape  May.  It  was  sorely  against  Mrs.  Heather- 
wood's  will,  but  she  was  prostrate  and  could  make 
no  active  resistance.  There  were  cool,  soft  breezes 
and  entire  rest;  all  three  could  look  for  benefit. 
Meantime,  the  aging  father  returned  to  the  West 
and  resumed  his  sorrowful  inquiries. 

Profiting  by  the  inaction  of  the  Union  leaders  in 
the  East,  Lee  dared  to  detach  one  of  his  three  corps 
and  sent  Longstreet  to  Tennessee  to  the  aid  of  Bragg, 
with  the  result  that,  midway  between  the  scenes  of 
the  great  Union  triumphs  of  Gettysburg  and  Vicks- 
burg  the  South  came  up  smiling  after  its  supposed 
annihilation  and  dealt  the  direful  blow  of  Chicka- 
mauga.  The  war,  then,  was  anything  but  ended, 
and  once  again  Baltimore  thrilled  with  joy. 

Mid-October  came,  and,  older,  grayer,  sadder 
still,  Lowndes  came  back  from  weeks  of  fruitless 
searching  among  the  hospitals  of  Kentucky,  and, 
gathering  up  his  household,  took  them  to  the  old 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  429 

home  on  Fifth  Avenue.  Another  clew  had  reached 
l.im,  and  he  was  eager  to  go  to  Chattanooga,  but 
Chattanooga  was  shut  off  from  the  outside  world  by 
the  bold  besiegers.  Yet  no  sooner  did  Grant  burst 
through,  with  Sherman  at  his  heels,  than  the  inert 
mass  starving  or  sleeping  in  the  shadows  of  Lookout 
Mountain  seemed  to  spring  to  life  again,  and  just  as 
the  early  snows  were  sifting  down  about  the  roofs 
and  spires  of  Gotham,  hope  and  enthusiasm  re- 
awakened in  the  North  over  the  news  that  Bragg's 
besieging  army  was  swept  like  chaff  from  Mission 
Ridge,  and  only  the  old  flag  now  was  floating  down 
the  Tennessee.  That  grand  victory  of  Grant's  came 
just  in  the  nick  of  time,  for  far  and  near  all  over  the 
loyal  States  the  pall  of  despond  was  spreading.  The 
South  had  fought  too  hard  and  long  and  well. 

Bivouacked  on  the  very  crest  of  the  ridge,  close 
to  the  dull  red  earthworks  on  which  they  had  planted 
their  colors  during  the  day,  a  strong  regiment  of  far 
Western  men  was  singing  and  rejoicing  about  the 
blazing  cook-fires.  Every  now  and  then  the  groups 
nearest  the  dusty  roadway  would  rise  and  cheer  some 
general  or  staff-oflicer  as  he  rode  rapidly  by,  and  all 
.along  the  line  the  exultant  shout  would  be  taken  up. 
They  were  cheering  everybody,  anybody,  the  evening 
of  that  glorious  day,  but  they  sprang  to  their  feet 
again  and  swarmed  like  bees  and  swung  their  caps 
and  shouted  madly  at  sight  of  a  stocky,  broad-shoul- 
dered, sharp-featured  little  fellow  in  a  major-gen- 
eral's coat,  who  laughed  and  shook  his  head  at  their 


430        THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

characteristic  yells  for  a  speech,  but  he  said  thrilling 
words  to  those  who  grasped  his  hands  and  hugged 
his  booted  legs  and  crowded  about  his  horse,  and 
thej  cheered  again  like  mad,  for  this  was  Sheridan's 
division,  as  undivided  a  command  as  ever  stood  the 
shock  of  battle.  Presently  it  transpired  that  he 
wanted  to  see  the  man  who  bore  their  colors  u^^  the 
height  after  the  sergeant  was  shot  down,  and  there 
was  a  yell  for  Corporal  Hoe,  and  the  corporal 
couldn't  be  found.  The  regiment  had  wavered  a 
minute,  it  seems,  midway  up  the  slope,  for  Bragg's 
men  gave  them  a  crashing  volley  or  two  from  a  zig- 
zag line  of  parapet  a  hundred  yards  beyond  them. 
The  color-bearer  reeled  and  fell,  but  passed  his  silken 
treasure  to  the  hands  of  a  tall,  brown-bearded  cor- 
poral in  the  rear  rank  of  his  guard,  and  this  man, 
tossing  away  his  rifle,  sprang  out  to  the  front  full  a 
dozen  yards,  swinging  and  waving  the  brilliant  ban- 
ner high  over  his  head  and  shouting,  "Come  on,  men ! 
Come  on!"  In  an  instant,  too,  an  officer  had  rushed 
to  the  front,  the  young  colonel  commanding,  waving 
his  sword  and  shouting,  "Forward!"  The  line  burst 
ahead  with  a  yell,  yet  could  not  overtake  that  tall, 
athletic  leader.  Every  inch  of  the  way  to  within  a 
few  feet  of  the  summit  he  kept  in  advance,  leaping 
the  shallow  rifle-pits,  scrambling  over  log  breast- 
works; and  just  how  he  escaped  death  was  a  miracle, 
for  the  flag  was  riddled,  the  staff  splintered  with 
bullets. 

Yet  this  night,  Avhen  Sheridan  wanted  to  shake 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  431 

hands  with  him,  Corporal  Hoe  had  disappeared. 
"Tell  him  to  come  to  me  in  the  morning,"  said  the 
little  general,  as  he  rode  awaj,  and  then  the  men 
began  to  talk  of  Iloe. 

Who  he  was,  where  he  was  from,  nobody  knew, 
and  Hoe  wouldn't  say.  All  the  information  given 
by  the  meagre  muster-roll  was  to  the  effect  that  he 
had  enlisted  in  such  a  county  on  such  a  day  in 
August,  1863,  but  the  "batch"  of  recruits  made  up  of 
drafted  men  sent  down  to  join  just  before  Chicka- 
mauga  were  able  to  add  that  Hoe  had  enlisted  as  sub- 
stitute for  a  well-to-do  father  of  a  numerous  family, 
and  they  told  a  story  to  the  effect  that  the  officials 
said  that  the  substitute  was  worth  ten  of  the  original. 
Tall,  splendidly  built,  a  soldier  evidently,  the  officers 
were  quick  to  see  in  the  silent,  blue-eyed  fellow  a 
man  with  a  history.  But  good  men  were  too  valuable 
to  be  made  restive  under  importunate  questioning. 
Hoe's  reserve  was  respected.  His  cool  courage  at 
Chickamauga  made  him  a  corporal.  His  stature  and 
steadiness  took  him  at  once  into  the  color-guard,  and 
only  in  one  way  had  he  betrayed  anything  by  which 
his  antecedents  could  be  conjectured.  There  had 
been  hardly  any  time  for  drill  before  the  recruits 
went  into  action  with  their  regiment,  and  in  loading 
Private  Hoe  made  a  half  face  to  the  left,  threw  the 
butt  of  his  long  rifle  back  in  rear  of  the  left  foot, 
with  the  barrel  sloping  to  the  front  instead  of,  in  the 
language  of  the  drill-sergeants,  "bringing  the  piece 
vertically  in  front  of  the  centre  of  the  bodv,  barrel 


432  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

to  the  front,  butt  between  the  feet."  "See  that?" 
said  Captain  Rogers.  "That  man  learned  the  manual 
of  arms  before  the  war."  Of  course,  they  asked  him 
where,  and  Hoe,  smiling  quietly,  replied,  "In  a  mili- 
tia company,"  which  was  j^erfectly  true,  yet  helped 
them  not  at  all. 

That  night  the  colonel  called  to  the  adjutant, 
'"Sheridan  has  sent  for  Corporal  Hoe  to  come  to  his 
head-quarters.  Better  make  him  color-bearer  at  once 
and  stave  off  his  being  detailed  as  orderly." 

Yet  the  colonel  need  not  have  worried.  Hoe  had 
already  declined  to  leave  his  regiment  for  any  other 
duty.  The  spring  of  '64  came  on.  Grant  and  Sheri- 
dan had  been  summoned  to  the  East,  and,  with  Sher- 
man to  head  the  army  of  the  West,  these  three  son§ 
of  Ohio  set  forth  on  that  momentous  campaign  that 
\vas  to  prove  the  beginning  of  the  end,  and  from 
Atlanta  went  a  j)aper,  backed  by  the  endorsement 
of  famous  brigade,  division,  and  corps  commanders, 
in  which  the  colonel  urged  that  Sergeant-Major  Hoe 
be  commissioned  because  of  conspicuous  bravery  and 
marked  ability,  and  so  it  happened  that  at  Franklin 
he  rode  at  the  colonel's  side  as  adjutant  of  the  regi- 
ment, and  that  at  Nashville,  where  Thomas  turned 
the  tables  on  his  old  regimental  comrade.  Hood,  it 
was  Hoe  who  led  the  dash  of  the  attenuated  bat- 
talion when  colonel  and  half  the  captains  were  gone. 
Yet  all  this  time,  reserved,  silent,  and,  as  all  could 
see,  sad,  he  had  remained  a  stranger,  for  to  no  man 
did  he  tell  the  story  of  his  past.    They  honored  him, 


THE   GENERALS  DOUBLE.  433 

believed  in  him,  and  would  eagerly  have  sought  his 
confidence  and  friendship,  but,  while  scrupulously 
courteous  and  considerate,  he  maintained  what  they 
all  felt  was  an  incognito. 

The  morning  of  the  second  day  of  the  grapple 
had  come,  and  Hood's  astonished  army,  that  on  the 
previous  dawn  was  defiantly  facing  north  and  threat- 
ening the  proud  capital  of  Tennessee,  had  been 
sledge-hammered  out  of  its  encircling  earthworks  to 
the  west,  and  now,  hanging  with  grim  desperation  to 
the  bristling  redoubts  at  the  eastward  end  of  their 
line  and  the  strong  post  of  Overton's  Hill,  con- 
fronted the  dim  blue  ranks  of  Thomas.  Who  would 
have  said  five  years  before  that  these  fellow-soldiers 
in  the  same  regiment  in  which  rode  Sidney  Johnston 
and  Lee,  Hardee  and  Thomas,  Hood  and  Garrard, 
Fitz  Lee  and  Johnson,  Belden  and  Fairfax,  that 
here  within  hail  of  the  hospitable  Southern  eity  two 
great  armies  would  be  fighting  to  the  death, — 
Thomas,  the  sturdy  battalion  commander,  at  the 
head  of  one ;  Hood,  his  erstwhile  dashing  lieutenant, 
at  the  head  of  the  other;  while  two  of  the  divisions 
engaged  on  the  Union  side  should  be  led  by  Garrard 
and  Johnson,  old  friends  and  comrades, — adjutant 
and  subaltern  respectively.  Fierce  and  bloody  had 
been  the  battling  at  Franklin  a  fortnight  before. 
Sharp  and  stern  the  struggle  of  yesterday,  and  now 
one  more  united  effort  was  needed  and  Hood's  last 
prop  would  be  swept  away. 

And  yet  this  is  almost  an  improvfeed  army  that 


434  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

Thomas  has  at  hand.  Many  a  new  and  untried  regi- 
ment is  here.  Three  or  fonr  brigades  and  brigadiers 
were  strangers  not  three  weeks  ago,  and  the  veterans 
of  the  Fourth  Corps  look  askance  at  the  new 
blankets,  overcoats  and  knapsacks  of  a  brigade  that 
marches  by  an  hour  after  dawn.  "Johnny  Raws," 
say  the  grinning  files  of  the  rearmost  line  of  a 
Western  regiment,  whereat  the  brigade  commander, 
a  massive,  bearded,  soldierly  fellow,  whom  their 
practised  eyes  are  quick  to  recognize  as  a  veteran, 
turns  half  laughing  in  his  saddle  and  shakes  a  gaunt- 
leted  fist.  "AVe're  to  go  side  by  side,  you  rascally 
Badgers,"  he  cries.  "Let's  see  if  my  'raws'  will  be 
done  any  quicker  than  you."  Whereat  there  goes 
up  a  shout  of  good-natured  chaff  and  applause.  A 
bumptious  man,  an  ill-tempered  rebuke,  would  have 
roused  the  ire  of  the  soldiery.  The  laughing  chal- 
lenge wins  their  sympathy  instanter.  "Bully  for  the 
general!"  goes  up  the  cry,  and  several  officers  turn 
to  see  what  the  shouting  means. 

"I  never  saw  that  general  before,"  says  the  senior 
captain,  who  has  had  command  since  Franklin. 
"Who  is  he?" 

"One  of  those  Army  of  the  Potomac  fellows," 
answers  their  own  brigade  leader,  himself  only  a 
colonel.  "They  take  our  best  generals  to  plan  their 
doings  for  them,  and  then  send  their  new  ones  out 
here  to  learn  how  to  fight.  That's  General  Clark, 
though  they  do  say  he's  a  good  one." 

And  at  sound  of  the  name  the  tall  adjutant,  who 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  435 

has  been  seated  making  some  memoranda  in  liis  note- 
book, springs  to  bis  feet  and,  with  paling  face,  stands 
gazing  after  the  marching  column. 

"What  is  it,  Hoe?"  asks  the  brigade  leader.  "Have 
you  ever  met  him?" 

For  a  moment  there  is  no  answer.  There  is,  in- 
deed, significant  silence.  Then  at  last  comes  the 
reply,  "I  have  seen  him — somewhere  before." 

Three  hours  later  the  sulphur  clouds  hang  low 
over  the  scarred  slopes  to  the  south  of  the  lately  be- 
leaguered city,  and  the  roar  of  battle  is  giving  place 
all  along  the  line  to  exultant  cheering.  Gun  after 
gun,  battery  after  battery,  has  been  enveloped  by 
the  charging  battalions  in  the  light-blue  overcoats, 
and  everywhere  on  a  front  of  over  three  miles  the 
waving  banners  of  the  Union  are  pressing  onward. 
Everywhere  the  dull  gray  ranks  are  breaking  and 
drifting  away,  save  at  one  point.  At  the  edge  of  a 
clumj)  of  trees,  in  a  strong  earthwork,  half  a  dozen 
light  guns  are  still  playing  on  the  halted  brigade  that 
has  essayed  their  capture,  for  several  plucky  but 
sorely  thinned  battalions  stand  firmly  in  support  and 
sweep  with  their  fire  the  westward  and  northward 
slopes,  llaging  at  the  unlooked-for  check,  a  division 
commander  rides  furiously  along  the  sullen,  unre- 
sponsive ranks  crouching  for  shelter  at  the  foot  of  the 
slope. 

"It's  no  use,  general,"  says  a  veteran  colonel,  de- 
jectedly. "These  fellows  have  charged  twice,  and 
look  there!"   he  adds,  pointing  with  his  sword  to  the 


436  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

corpses  strown  along  their  front  away  np  almost  to 
the  black  embrasures.  "They  are  fought  out. 
Another  charge  would  use  up  what's  left  of  them." 

"Then,  by  God!  let  'em  lie  there  and  see  better 
men  do  their  work!"  is  the  savage  rejoinder,  and 
spurring  at  the  gallop  to  his  right,  the  general  dashes 
up  to  the  bearded  brigade  commander.  "General 
Clark,"  he  shouts,  "change  front  to  the  half  left  and 
drive  those  fellows  out  of  that  grove!  You  can  do 
it — Crandall's  men  are  pumped." 

Xot  five  minutes  later  and  with  grand  enthusiasm 
the  leading  line  of  the  new  brigade,  two  strong  regi- 
ments in  front,  is  sweeping  steadily  up  the  slope,  and 
the  Southern  guns  and  musketry  turn  savagely  upon 
them.  Half-way,  and  they  waver,  for  men  are  fall- 
ing fast,  and  out  rides  their  brigade  commander, 
colors  in  hand,  his  voice  ringing  magnificently 
through  the  roar  of  artillery.  Fired  by  the  sight, 
the  remnant  to  their  left  seems  all  on  a  sudden  to 
spring  to  its  feet  as  though  to  show  the  division  com- 
mander the  colonel  has  maligned  it,  but  all  eyes  are 
on  the  splendid  form  of  the  adjutant  of  that  Badger 
regiment.  Leaping  on  the  horse  of  a  wounded  major, 
seizing  the  old  battle-worn  colors  he  had  borne  at 
Mission  Ridge,  out  he  dashes  full  twenty  yards  in 
front  of  the  reviving  brigade,  and  with  a  deafening 
yell  it  rises  and  follows  him,  and  so  it  happens  that 
in  the  surging  rush  that  goes  over  the  battery,  bat- 
talions and  all,  Clark's  "Johnny  Raws"  and  Cran- 
dall's crippled  veterans  tumble  in  side  by  side,  their 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  437 

inner  flanks  huddled  together  indistinguishably, 
their  voices  mingled  in  exultant  cheers.  Almost  at 
the  same  instant,  it  seems,  these  two  grand  leaders, 
the  general  and  the  adjutant, — the  general  from  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac,  the  adjutant  from  none  knows 
where, — their  horses  shot  from  beneath  them,  their 
flags  still  waving  high,  come  leaping  through  the 
fire-flashing  bank  of  smoke,  their  jDaths  converging, 
their  cheering  men  close  following  at  their  heels. 
Over  the  thin  and  crouching  ranks  in  gray  the  victors 
sweep,  shouting  hoarse  orders  to  those  attempting  to 
escape  to  stojD  in  their  tracks  or  be  shot  down,  and 
almost  before  they  realize  it  three  thousand  rejoicing 
men  in  Union  blue  are  captors  of  the  battery,  its 
supporting  brigade,  and  of  the  battalions  lining  the 
earthworks  to  the  south,  who,  taken  in  flank^  can 
neither  fight  nor  run.  For  a  moment  Pandemonium 
reigns.  Hats,  caps,  and  colors  are  tossed  in  air. 
Popular  officers  are  raised  on  the  shoulders  of  their 
cheering  men,  and  borne  to  the  parapet.  A  major- 
general  and  his  staff  come  galloping  to  the  scene  to 
join  in  the  jubilee.  Right  and  left  the  aides  and 
ofiicers  are  darting,  receiving  the  swords  of  the  cap- 
tive Confederates  and  marshalling  their  sorrowing 
leaders  before  the  division  commander.  And  then, 
still  panting,  General  Clark  bursts  his  way  through 
groups  of  enthusiastic  men. 

"Where  is  the  fellow  that  led  on  our  left?"  he 
demands.     "I  want  to  shake  hands  with  him." 

And  a  soldier,  pointing  to  where  half  a  dozen  offi- 


4;)8  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

cers  are  kneeling  about  a  prostrate  form,  says,  "This 
way,  general,"  and  Clark  joins  them,  kneels,  and, 
looking  into  their  anxious  faces,  queries,  "Is  he  badly 
wounded?"  Whereat  a  surgeon  gravely  nods  and 
goes  on  with  his  work.  Belt  and  sash  have  been  un- 
loosed, the  coat  thrown  open  from  throat  to  waist, 
and  now  as  the  doctor  unbuttons  a  shirt  already 
soaked  with  blood,  and  bares  the  broad,  muscular 
chest,  a  reddish-blue  mark  catches  the  professional 
eye.  A  locket,  pendent  from  a  fine  gold  chain,  is  re- 
vealed to  all.  "This  gentleman  has  been  shot  before, 
and  if  he  could  recover  from  that,  he  can,  please 
God,  from  this,"  says  the  surgeon,  solemnly,  as  he 
finds  a  welling  fountain  farther  down  on  the  other 
side.  "It  is  loss  of  blood  that  has  used  him  up,"  he 
adds,  as  with  skilful  hands  he  begins  to  stanch  the 
wound,  while  an  assistant  raises  the  drooping  head 
and  applies  a  flask  to  the  pale  lips.  Feebly  a  hand 
is  uplifted  and  the  flask  is  thrust  away. 

"Drink,  sir,"  says  the  surgeon,  "just  a  sij)  or  two. 
It's  brandy.  No,  I  insist,"  he  continues,  as  again 
the  half-unconscious  officer  seems  striving  against  it. 

"lEoe  never  drinks,"  murmurs  Captain  Rogers. 
"That's  what's  the  matter,"  But  the  surgeon's  order 
prevails. 

"What  do  you  call  him?  What  is  this  gallant 
gentleman's  name?"  asks  Clark,  bending  forward, 
his  eyes  ablaze  with  new  and  eager  interest.  "I — 
think  I've  met  him  before." 

"Hoe — John  Hoe,  our  adjutant,  by  gad!"    says 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  439 

the  battalion  commander,  proudly;  "and  we'll  match 
him  against  anything  in  the  army,  east  or  west." 

But  Clark  moves  still  nearer,  and  is  peering  in- 
tently into  the  bearded  face  just  beginning  to  receive 
faint  color,  and  then,  dreamily,  the  eyes  unveil,  and 
faintly,  half-consciously  come  the  words,  while  the 
ghost  of  a  smile  seems  to  flit  about  the  corners  of  his 
mouth, — 

"Hoe — yes — John  Hoe — Ivan  Hoe,  don't  you 
see,  Clark — Desdichado — the  Disinherited  Knight." 

And  then,  with  a  cry  that  startles  the  groups  on 
every  side,  the  bearded  general  throws  his  arms  about 
the  swooning  man.  "Jack!  Jack!  Thank  God 
we've  found  you  at  last!" 

*  *  -A-  *  *  *  * 

The  lilacs  were  in  bloom  again  in  many  a  little 
court-yard  in  Gotham.  The  grand  army  had  come 
drifting  home  for  muster  out  after  the  final  parade 
in  Washington.  The  streets  and  aveuues  were  filled 
with  men  in  faded  blue,  the  clubs  with  uniforms.  A 
bearded  soldier,  double-starred  by  brevet  for  gal- 
lant and  meritorious  services  in  the  battle  of  Nash- 
ville, had  stopped  on  his  homeward  way  to  call  on  his 
old  client  at  the  Lowndes  homestead,  and  to  shake 
hands  over  and  over  again  with  a  tall,  soldierly,  yet 
pallid  man  whose  brave  blue  eyes  and  clear-cut  face, 
whose  imperial  and  moustache,  were  oddly  like  those 
of  the  bronzed  and  bestarred  young  general  who 
seemed  almost  as  great  an  object  of  interest  in  the 
household  as  his  now  acknowledged  double,  the  son 


440  THE   GENEBAL'S  DOUBLE. 

and  heir.  Big  and  roomy  as  it  was,  the  old  brown- 
stone  mansion  was  filled  witli  gnests  this  lovely  day 
in  '65,  and  yet  there  were  more  to  come.  It  seemed 
as  thongh  the  father  could  not  summon  friends 
enough  to  do  homage  to  Jack.  It  had  seemed,  weeks 
before,  as  though  that  helpless  invalid  could  not  be 
brought  to  realize  the  truth  that,  stern  and  im- 
placable as  he  had  seemed,  that  father  loved  him  and 
had  long  forgiven  the  faults  and  follies  of  his  youth. 
When  at  last  Jack  could  see  how  gravely  he  had 
misjudged  his  father,  his  humility  and  penitence 
were  indescribable.  Only  Florence  saw  their  recon- 
ciliation; only  to  one  friend  did  she  describe  it, — 
one  whose  lips  but  rarely  spoke  his  name,  and  then 
only  with  betraying  quiver.  For  weeks  after  the 
great  battle  they  nursed  their  invalid  at  !N^ashville, 
and  not  until  April  had  they  ventured  Xorth,  and 
then  only  as  far  as  AVashington  and  Baltimore,  where 
an  "Iron  Secretary"  found  time  to  see  and  shake 
hands  with  the  young  major  by  brevet  of  volunteers, 
whose  commission  recited  heroic  deeds  and  was  made 
out  in  the  name  of  John  Hoe.  "Congress  will  have 
to  straighten  out  his  various  names  and  titles,"  said 
the  Secretary,  now  a  care-worn  and  grizzled  man, 
"but  I  can  'tend  to  the  removal  of  that  charge  of  de- 
sertion against  Trooper  Bell  and — certain  other 
deviltries,"  to  which  even  now,  it  seems,  he  could 
not  allude  without  a  grimace.  There  was  a  disposi- 
tion in  Baltimore  to  do  homage  to  the  returned  vol- 
unteer, now  recognized  as  the  man  who  had  saved 


THE   GENERALS  DOUBLE.  441 

tlie  life  of  Fairfax,  but  this  the  convalescent  refused. 
There  was  a  week  in  which  Florence  trod  on  air  lest 
she  should  disturb  certain  interviews,  that  occasion- 
ally became  murmurous,  between  her  hero  Jack  and 
her  Maryland  friend.  There  were  more  such  weeks 
when,  along  in  May,  the  Heatherwoods,  mother  and 
daughter,  and  Colonel  Ralph  were  made  to  come  to 
Gotham  as  the  guests  of  George  Lowndes,  Esq.,  and 
the  reunion  of  the  blue  and  the  gray  began  forth- 
with. There  was  more  of  it  when  Belden  dropped 
in  just  as  Clark  returned  from  the  AA'est,  and,  though 
there  were  fortunes  to  be  repaired  and  shattered 
homes  to  be  rebuilt,  and  many  and  many  a  grave 
over  which  to  mourn,  there  were  sunshine  and 
blessed  peace,  and  the  heart  of  one  noble  woman 
overflowed  with  thanksgiving  as  she  looked  around 
with  swimming  eyes  upon  the  loved  ones  reunited. 
They  sat  clasping  her  hands  one  night,  Florence 
on  one  side,  Belle  on  the  other,  when  the  men  for  the 
moment,  after  the  fashion  of  the  day,  were  lingering 
over  their  cigars  in  the  dining-room,  and  to  them 
came  the  butler.  There  was  a  soldier  would  like  to 
speak  with  General  Belden,  and  there  at  the  door 
stood  old  Morrissey.  The  exclamations  of  delight 
with  which  that  astonished  veteran  was  seized  and 
dragged  into  the  parlor  brought  a  rush  from  the 
table  in  the  room  beyond,  and  both  Belden  and 
Jack  nearly  shook  his  arms  loose  when  they  reached 
him.  Then  he  was  fairly  hauled  into  that  brilliantly 
lighted  apartment,  with  all  its  rich  appointments  of 


442        THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

plate-laden  sideboard,  of  snowy,  damask-covered 
table,  decked  with  flowers  and  bravely  set  forth  with 
its  array  of  carved  decanters,  cut  glass,  and  costly 
china.  It  was  a  strange  sight,  that  of  the  veteran 
trooper  with  his  scarred  face  and  bristling,  grizzled 
moustache,  standing  there  rigidly  erect  and  scrupu- 
lously buttoned  in  his  best  cavalry  jacket,  brave  with 
yellow  lace,  the  broad  chevrons  of  the  standard- 
bearer  and  the  glistening  shoulder-scales,  blushingly 
holding  the  wine-glass  that  his  host  was  hospitably 
filling  to  the  brim,  while  two  gallant  men  in  the  garb 
of  major-generals  of  the  Union,  a  third  in  the  simple, 
single-breasted  frock  of  the  line  officer,  but  with  the 
gold  leaves  of  a  major  on  his  infantry  shoulder- 
straps,  looking,  despite  his  modest  uniform  and  pallid 
face,  as  though  he  might  be  the  brother  of  the 
younger  general  officer,  a  fourth  man,  youngest  of 
all,  and  soldier,  too,  despite  the  evening  dress  of  civil 
life, — these  four  standing  with  uplifted  glasses  to 
drink  health  and  happiness  and  prosperity  to  Ser- 
geant Morrissey  of  the  old  army,  while  three  fair 
women,  one  with  silvery  hair,  hovered  smiling  at  the 
broad  door-way. 

"By  Jove!"  cried  Major  Jack,  his  blue  eyes  spark- 
ling with  delight,  "what  wouldn't  I  give  if  Fairfax 
could  but  be  here!" 

"I  saw  Gineral  Fairfax  in  Richmond,  sorr,"  said 
the  sergeant,  promptly,  "and  he  gave  me  this,  sorr, 
for  the  meejor,"  he  added  with  the  quick  recognition 
of  the  Celtic  soldier  of  new  rank  and  title,  and  then 


Blushingly  holding  the  wine-glass. 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  443 

produced  from  an  inner  pocket  a  letter  which  he 
handed  to  Jack  as  he  would  have  presented  an 
orderly's  despatch.  "There's  no  answer,  sorr,  but  I 
was  not  to  fail  to  deliver  it,"  and  Lowndes  turned 
red  as  he  tucked  it  in  an  inner  pocket.  It  was  late 
before  he  could  read  it  at  all,  and  when  he  did  the 
girls  had  gone,  much  earlier  than  usual,  to  their 
rooms,  whereat  there  were  others  to  look  disap- 
pointed. 

But  Madam  HeatherAvood,  with  fond  interest  in 
her  soft  eyes,  stood  at  the  door-way  of  her  sitting- 
room  as  Lowndes  reached  the  second  story,  and  v/ith 
all  the  old  trust  and  faith  he  hastened  to  her  side, 
and  she  led  the  way  within. 

"Read  it  yourself,"  he  said,  "and  tell  me  what  it 
means."  But  his  heart  was  throbbing  hard  as  he 
handed  her  the  open  sheet.  And  this  was  what  she 
read: 

"You  told  me  to  ride  for  Belle  Heatherwood's 
sake  the  night  you  set  me  free  and  saved  my  neck. 
It  was  like  you,  Jack  Lowndes,  but  it  wasn't  fair. 
You  made  me  believe  it  was  she  who  planned  the 
whole  escape, — that  you  were  but  her  instrument. 
I  went  with  hope  I  had  never  known  before,  and 
that  hope  was  killed  long  months  ago,  long  before  we 
lost  all  hope  for  the  cause  of  our  blessed  South.  Only 
after  you  disappeared,  leaving  no  trace  behind,  did 
I  learn  the  whole  truth.  Only  after  Appomattox 
did  I  hear  through  Belden  of  your  safe  and  glorious 
return. 


444         THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

"I  am  glad  no  Virginians  were  in  your  front  that 
December  day  at  Nashville.  I  have  often  wished 
I  had  died  with  Garnett  and  Armistead  that  grand, 
but  fatal  afternoon  at  Gettysburg,  and  had  been 
buried  there  where  I  lay  among  your  guns,  but  it 
pleased  God  to  order  that  I  should  be  with  Pickett 
to  the  last. 

"Say  to  dear  Aunty  Heatherwood  that,  so  long  as 
I  live,  I  shall  remember  her  loving-kindness.  Tell 
her  that  friends  in  England  offer  me  an  opening 
there,  and  that  within  a  few  weeks  I  shall  be  on  my 
way  to  London,  it  appearing  that  I  am  no  longer 
'wanted'  to  answer  to  the  charge  of  being  a  spy.  Tell 
her  I  saw  the  Waddells  at  their  old  home,  reunited 
and,  except  Laura,  reconcilable.  Between  you  and 
me,  that  young  woman  is  the  worst  Reb  I  ever  saw, 
Frank  is  a  manly  fellow,  who  will  soon  restore  the 
family  fortunes,  but  as  for  Laura  she  declaims 
against  you  Yankees  from  morn  till  night,  despite 
the  New  England  blood  that  flowed  in  her  mother's 
veins  and  twangs  at  times  in  the  tones  of  her  other- 
wise melodious  voice;  despite  the  more  damaging 
fact  that  she  is  believed  to  hold  prisoner  a  New 
Hampshire  heart,  that  of  one  Lieutenant  Pettingill, 
whom  we  captured  wounded  at  Cold  Harbor;  and 
so  loyal  a  Rebel  is  she  that,  following  the  example 
of  your  government,  she  refuses  to  exchange  her 
prisoner  for  a  Virginian  of  equal  rank  who,  in  the 
interest  of  harmony  between  the  sections,  is  said  to 
be  willing-  to  offer  himself.     At  this  moment  Mr. 


THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE.  445 

Pettingill  is  believed  to  be  home  on  parole,  but 
within  easy  call  of  tliat  kittenisJi  patte  de  velours  at 
'Leesburg.  It  is  my  belief  that,  in  her  longing  to 
whip  the  whole  Yankee  nation  as  it  deserves,  Miss 
Waddell  has  determined  to  hold  him  for  life,  leaving 
the  whippings  to  be  administered  in  the  by  and  by 
to  a  generation  yet  unborn. 

"And  now,  to  yourself — the  man  who  gave  me 
life  and  liberty  and  saved  me  from  a  shameful  fate 
— I  have  no  words  with  which  to  say  how  deep  is  my 
gratitude,  or  with  what  full  heart  I  pray  God's  bless- 
ing on  you — on  you  and  Belle. 

"Fairfax." 

They  were  standing  under  a  gas-jet  by  her  dress- 
ing table,  her  silvering  head  bowed  over  the  page,  the 
soft  lines  about  her  lips  betraying  the  emotion  with 
which  she  read,  now  quivering  with  tender  sym- 
pathy as  the  letter  told  of  the  writer's  sorrow  and 
coming  exile,  now  curving  almost  merrily  as  it  spoke 
of  Laura;  but  it  was  the  final  paragraph  of  which 
Jack  had  so  impulsively  sj^oken,  of  which  alone  he 
was  thinking,  and  when  at  last  she  raised  her  head 
and  looked  up  with  swimming  eyes  into  his  face, 
the  fond  woman  whispered,  "Wait  here  one  mo- 
ment," and  then,  moved  to  sudden  resolution^  left 
the  room. 

A  moment  he  stood  there  alone.  He  seemed  to 
realize  what  was  coming.  There  was  a  bounding  in 
his  pulses,  a  throbbing  in  his  heart,  that  recalled 


446  THE   GENERAL'S  DOUBLE. 

the  wild  ecstasy  of  the  charge,  yet  iliere  there  was 
no  trembling.  Impatient  he  turned  to  the  door  as 
though  to  follow,  but  there  came  a  light  footfall,  and 
at  the  very  threshold  he  met  the  girl  he  had  loved  so 
long,  and  long  so  hopelessly.  Her  eyes,  startled, 
fell  before  his  eager  gaze. 

"Mother  sent  me "  she  faltered,  but  with  sud- 
den movement  he  seized  her  trembling  hands  and 
drew  her  within  before  she  could  complete  the 
words. 

"I  have  such  strange  news,"  he  hurried  to  say. 
"Floyd  Fairfax  tells  me  he  goes  abroad  to  live.  He 
tells  me  practically  that  my  renunciation  was — 
wasted.     Belle,  what  does  it  mean?" 

Her  head  was  bowed  so  near  his  breast  that  his 
pleading  lips  almost  swept  her  fair  white  forehead. 
For  a  moment  she  could  not  answer.  "Tell  me,"  he 
whispered,  bending  lower  still,  and  she  felt  the 
quiver  of  his  strong,  nervous  hand  and  heard  the 
loud  throbbing  of  his  brave  heart.  One  quick  glance 
up  into  his  glowing  eyes,  and  then  the  long  lashes 
swept  her  cheeks  again. 

"1  never  told  you — I  never  meant,"  at  last  she 
whispered,  "that  you  should  renounce — me." 


FINIS. 


By  John  Strange  Winter, 

(Mrs.  Arthur  Stannard.) 


A  Magnificent  Young  Man. 

l2mo.     Paper,  50  cents ;   cloth,  ^ 1. 00. 

**  There  is  a  happy  mingling  of  comedy  and  tragedy  in  A  Magnificent  Young 
Man.  It  is  a  story  with  an  original  plot,  involving  a  secret  marriage,  the  mysteri- 
ous disappearance  of  a  bridegroom,  and  the  experiences  of  a  young  girl,  who 
refuses  to  clear  her  reputation,  even  to  the  mother  of  her  unacknowledged  husband, 
until  such  a  time  as  he  shall  give  permission.  1  he  plot  is  well  sustained,  the  in- 
cidents and  dialogue  are  entertaining,  and  the  mystery  is  kept  up  long  enough  to 
hold  the  close  attention  of  the  reader  to  the  last  chapter." — Boston  Beacon. 

Every  Inch  a  Soldier. 

l2mo.     Paper,  50  cents;  cloth,  $1.00. 

"Of  the  incidents  of  the  work  before  us,  the  plot  is  highly  entertaining,  and 
Incidentally  we  meet  the  Bishop  of  Blankhampton,  whose  matrimonial  affairs  were 
ably  discussed  in  a  book  previously  written.  It  is  a  very  pleasant  and  readable 
book,  and  we  are  glad  to  see  it." — Norrtstown  Herald. 

Aunt  Johnnie. 

I2mo.     Paper,  50  cents  ;  cloth,  $1.00. 

"  Mrs.  Stannard  preserves  her  freshness  and  vivacity  in  a  wonderful  way. 
'Aunt  Johnnie'  is  as  bright  and  amusing  a  story  as  any  that  she  has  written,  and 
it  rattles  on  from  the  first  chapter  to  the  last  with  unabated  gayety  and  vigor.  I  he 
hero  and  heroine  are  both  charming,  and  the  frisky  matron  who  gives  the  story  its 
name  is  a  capitally  managed  character.  1  he  novel  is  exactly  suited  to  the  season, 
and  is  sure  to  be  very  popular." — Charleston  News  and  Courier. 

The  Other  Man's  Wife. 

i2mo.     Paper,  50  cents ;  cloth,  5i-00. 

"  The  hero  and  heroine  have  a  charm  which  is  really  unusual  in  these  hack- 
neyed personages,  for  they  are  most  attractive  and  wholesome  types,  indeed, 
wholesomeness  may  be  said  to  be  the  most  notable  characteristic  of  this  author's 
work." — N.  Y.  Telegram. 

Only  Human. 

i2mo.     Paper,  50  cents  ;  cloth,  ;Sl. 00. 

"  A  bright  and  interesting  story.  ...  Its  pathos  and  humor  are  of  the 
Bame  admirable  quality  that  is  found  in  all  the  other  novels  by  this  author." — Boston 
Gazette. 

J.  B.  LIPPINCOTT  COMPANY,  PHILADELPHIA. 


By  Elizabeth  Phipps  Train 


/SSUED  IN  THE  LOTOS  LIBRARY. 
ILLUSTRATED.  l6MO.  POLISHED 
BUCKRAM.     75   CENTS   PER   VOL. 


THE   AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 
A  PROFESSIONAL  BEAUTY. 

"  It  is  an  interesting  confession,  admirably  written,  and  the  story  throughout 
is  delightfully  fresh  and  vivacious." — Philadelphia  Evening  Btdletin. 

"  The  author  gives  in  this  handsome  little  book  a  charming  glimpse  of  ultra- 
fashionable  English  society.  It  has  an  air  of  truth  which  makes  its  moral  the  more 
impressive,  and  the  characters  are  well  drawn." — Columbus  Evening  Dispatch. 

"  This  is  a  profoundly  interesting  love  story.  Its  plot  is  simple,  natural,  and 
life-like — often  approaching  the  tragic.  The  dangers  from  the  abuse  of  the  powers 
of  hypnotism  are  strikingly  illustrated." — Chicago  Inter  Ocean. 


A  SOCIAL  HIGHWAYMAN. 

"  There  is  a  consistency  of  bold  purpose  in  the  book  which  makes  it  the  re- 
verse of  mawkish.  It  is  a  kind  of  modernized  Dick  Turpin." — Chicago  Times- 
Herald. 

"  'A  Social  Highwayman,'  a  small  and  dainty  volume  in  Lippincott's  Lotos 
Library,  is  a  distinctly  interesting,  almost  a  fascinating,  story." — Brooklyn  Daib 
Eagle. 

"  The  J.  R.  Lippincott  Company  has  issued  in  the  Lotos  Library,  in  a  hand- 
some little  volume,  with  illustrations,' A  Social  Highwayman,'  by  Elizabeth  Phipps 
Train,  which  originally  appeared  in  j^?)>/?'Krip/<'j  Magazine.  1  hi  thrillingly  dra- 
matic story,  always  intensely  absorbing,  has  acquired  a  new  interest  since  it  was 
turned  into  a  play,  and  many  will  be  an.xious  to  compare  it  with  the  drama  which 
bears  the  same  name.  The  tale  has  abundant  life  and  movement,  and  commands 
and  retains  attention." — Boston  Saturday  Eveniug  Gazette. 


\,  B.  LIPPINCOTT  COMPANY,  PHILADELPHIA. 


RARE  BOOK 
COLLECTION 


THE  LIBRARY  OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF 

NORTH  CAROLINA 

AT 

CHAPEL  HILL 


Wilmer 

671 

c.l 


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